Makarov (pictured top), billionaire President of the Russian Cycling Federation and a member of the UCI's ruling Management Committee, was named by McQuaid as being behind Cookson's campaign following a meeting in Moscow.

McQuaid called Cookson's decision to stand against him as "odd" and claimed he had gone back on his word not to challenge him.

The meeting was also attended by Wojciech Walkiewicz, Honorary President of the European Cycling Union (ECU) and a former member of the UCI Management Committee, who works for Makarov as head of his cycling team, Katusha, and who McQuaid claimed was "notorious for manipulating elections".


Makarov's company, Itera, also donated €1 million (£850,000/$1.3 million) to the ECU shortly after the last election, something McQuaid said caused him "extreme concern" in his letter.

Makarov has now issued a statement through Itera, his private group of companies based in Moscow which focuses on natural gas exploration and processing, in which he calls for McQuaid to be investigated.

"Using the name of Mr Igor Makarov, current President of Cycling Federation of Russia, Head of the Russian Cycling Development Project and a Member of UCI Management Committee in relations to UCI Presidential race is unethical and [he] hopes that UCI Ethics Committee will consider reviewing Mr McQuaid's actions and the nature of his letter in accordance to the UCI Code of Ethics," the statement said.

"Pertaining to Mr McQuaid's questions, expressed in the letter, we wanted to mention that for the last three years Itera, a company headed by Mr Makarov, has been an official sponsor of the European Cycling Union and this fact has never raised any concerns in the past.

"One of democracy's main principal is a freedom of choice.

"And because of that principal, Mr Cookson's candidacy, just as anyone else's for that matter, cannot be considered as 'odd'. Mr Cookson has utilised his right, nothing more.