Two athletes per nation will be allowed to compete in the men's and women's individual sprint and keirin at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, "a change from London 2012 when just one in each event was permitted," according to REUTERS. Team Great Britain was "forced to pick between the world's top-two sprint specialists, Jason Kenny and Chris Hoy," four years ago before settling on Kenny, who took Gold. After conducting a review process, the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) and the IOC "agreed the qualification systems for the four cycling disciplines" -- Road, Track, BMX and Mountain Bike. Under the changes announced by UCI President Brian Cookson, "three more nations will be able to participate in BMX." Cookson also announced that host nation Brazil "will gain automatic entry into all four cycling disciplines, rather than just BMX as was the case in London" (REUTERS, 5/7). The PA reported for road cycling, "there is a major increase in the number of quota places allocated from the Africa Tour circuit, rising from five to nine, while in BMX, three more nations will be allowed to compete in Rio compared with London." Cookson: "After a detailed process of review with the IOC and the Association of National Olympic Committees, I am delighted that the cycling qualification systems for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games have now been approved" (PA, 5/7).
