UCI to ask Verbruggen to resign as honorary president

AIGLE, Switzerland (AP) Former UCI head Hein Verbruggen will be asked to resign his honorary presidency after a scathing report into the sport's doping culture and allegations of collusion with Lance Armstrong.

International Cycling Union President Brian Cookson says he will write to Verbruggen asking him ''to consider his position.''

Cookson says Verbruggen, who was UCI president from 1991-2005, should have no role in cycling's future. The Dutch official retains his IOC honorary membership.

Verbruggen led cycling when Armstrong won seven straight Tour de France titles.

The UCI covered up Armstrong's positive tests for corticosteroids during the '99 Tour, according to the UCI-appointed Cycling Independent Reform Commission.

Cookson says he is ''frankly appalled by some of the things'' in the 227-page report.