ST JOHN’S, Antigua – A constitutional review is one that is high on the list of things to be done during the course of the 2013/14 cycling year.

This is according to President Cliff Williams who said that the association’s rulebook must be brought up to standard if cycling is to be brought in line with international standards.

Amongst the rules changes, Williams hinted, will be an expansion in the number of years, which an executive is allowed to function. Currently, executives serve for one year. Other changes, he said, will also be made.

“One of the things that the UCI advised us is to drop the (word) amateur out of the name and that is written all over the constitution; so definitely one of my mandates in terms of staying on would be to assist the cycling association in the sense of writing that,” Williams said.

“I am doing my executive masters in sports administration and my project is on basically reforming IOCs, NOC international federations, and this would be a practice to apply some of what I learned from the masters’ course.”

Another change, according to the re-election hopeful, is that clubs will soon be asked to host one of the races currently being put on by the cycling association.

“The cycling association is obligated only to host two races – the National Time Trial Championships and the National Road Championships – and you can see it with other associations where the triathlon association hosted their national championships, the athletic association mostly host their national championships, and that’s our obligation,” Williams said.

“We’re out on at least 15 to 16 races (per year) and the clubs are responsible for those 16 or 17 races that we, as the cycling association, put on for them, taking the weight off of them and all we had asked them to do is just adopt one of the races on the calendar. They could have adopted one of these races and find the sponsorship to help the cycling run.”

Asked if he is pleased with the turnout for the season thus far, Williams said there has been a slight dip in the usual turnout.

“Last season, we could brag and boast that we had an over 40 per cent increase in participants after the 2011 season when we saw a great jump in terms of numbers on the frontline. This year, as expected, in terms of the level of races we did last year, we had expected that some of the guys who couldn’t make it would sort of take a backseat and assist and we are still seeing a number of 45 riders still starting,” he said.

Elections are expected to be held within the next two weeks when Williams will seek re-election for what would be a 15th straight year.