Getting Through to McQuaid?

UCI president, Pat McQuaid, blames organizers of Tour de France for scaring away sponsors saying that sponsors are reluctant to invest when there is no guarantee the team will race.

Wellll duuuh!

Later in the article, McQuaid takes another shot at Lance Armstrong as if allegations are just proof of doping that haven't yet been confirmed. This of course is part of the problem. One that Mr. McQuaid doesn't yet seem to understand.

Let me state it clearly so Mr. McQuaid understands. Most of your sponsors are large corporations. They have many sponsorship opportunities. Corporations are risk averse. They do not want to be associated with controversy. Right now, cycling is seen to be a risky association (this point you seem to understand). Therefore, corporations are likely to spend their sponsorship Euros elsewhere. This is even more true for new sponsors. You know, the ones you need to replace the departing sponsors.