Nolan to know his OCI fate on Thursday

Next Thursday will be a big day for Meath farmer PJ Nolan when the elections take place for the Board of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) at the Conrad Hotel, Dublin.  

Nolan, who served as the President of Cycling Ireland from 2000 to 2004, has long been associated with Navan Cycling Club and his family have a long and rich association with the sport. He has also filled in as a cycling analyst for RTE during the past five Olympic Games.

Nolan is also well known in farming circles and worked with RTE presenting the Farm News as well as other assignments. He also worked with the Farmers' Journal for a time before returning full-time to his dairy farm outside Navan. 

However, the level of how highly respected he is in Cycling Ireland can be seen in the way he is the organisation's nomination for the OCI Board. 

'I am honoured to be given this opportunity by Cycling Ireland and I will endeavour to the best of my ability to represent the best interest of the OCI and Cycling Ireland if I am fortunate enough to be elected to the Olympic Council,' said Nolan. 

'I feel that the OCI has huge potential in terms of promoting the image of Olympic sport and the recent controversy can be turned into an opportunity to show a new, fresh insights into how people can identify with the Olympic Games,' he added. 

The current Cycling Ireland President Ciaran McKenna said he was delighted to have PJ Nolan as the organisation's nominee for the coveted position within the OCI. 

'PJ will bring a fresh impetus to the OCI, his wealth of knowledge of cycling from grassroots up to international level, and his communication skills will be well served on the new OCI Board, if elected,' he said. 

There will be a huge focus also on who will be nominated the new President of the OCI with Sarah Keane from Swim Ireland, Bernard O'Byrne of Basketball Ireland and William O'Brien the candidates.

O'Brien has filled in as temporary OCI President after Pat Hickey stepped down from the position amid a welter of controversy over tickets during last summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Byrne is the former Chief Exective of the FAI and lives in Athboy. 

This is the first time since 1989 that Hickey has not put his name forward for election in the OCI.