MCUI (Ulster Centre) chairman John McClure (centre) pictured at September's short circuit meeting at Kirkistown.

The chairman of the Motor Cycle Union of Ireland (Ulster Centre) has ruled himself out of standing for the position next year after proclaiming he has ‘had enough’, deeming the governing body of the sport ‘unfit for purpose’.

In an open letter directed at ‘members of the Ulster Centre MCUI’, John McClure claims some officials within the body ‘wanted to get rid of me’.

“I’ve stayed quiet for months but no more,” he said.

“Since I took the Chair of the Ulster Centre back in November I have been dealing with lies, secrets, back-stabbing... the list goes on.

“My only aim was to get our sport - tarmac and trials - and Governing Body moving into the 21st century.

“I’ve made it clear there are issues within the governing body which appear to have been going on for years, to which I feel I’ve only scratched the surface.

“I’ve been told I’m only the Chair and have no opinion or vote,” Mr McClure wrote in a statement on his Facebook page.

“A lot of good people are involved in the sport and I thank them for their support over my time in the Chair.

“It’s clear there are others who want to get rid of me… well I regrettably now say you have won your petty agenda.”

Mr McClure said he was ‘proud’ of those clubs and volunteers involved in successfully running the Cookstown 100 road races and a short circuit meeting last month at Kirkistown in Co Down, ‘despite the best efforts of people to sabotage these events’.

“The people in the sport who know me, know I am if nothing else fair, honest, enjoy a laugh and want what’s best for the sport,” he continued.

“We did manage to get one short circuit and one road race this year and I’m proud to have helped achieved (sic) with these, despite the best efforts of people to sabotage these events. Trials also have got up and running and continue with success.

“You have the opportunity to restructure the sport and update the rules but again some people just don’t want that.”

Mr McClure – a leading light in the Belfast & District Motor Club, which ran last month’s short circuit event at Kirkistown – claims proposals to hand power to individual promoting clubs so they would be ‘running the sport’ under a new organisational structure have been blocked.

“An online EGM was requested to deal with some of the notice of motions, these needed to be put in place before an AGM or online AGM so when elections were being done, they are there for the proposed new structure,” he said.

“The structure proposals actually mean it will be the promoting clubs running the sport. An EGM for these proposals has also faced calls from some also who wish to keep the sport in situations where it no longer is fit for purpose rather than realise change is needed.”

Concluding his open letter to the MCUI, Mr McClure said his ‘family life’ had suffered during his year in the role as chairman.

“My family life has suffered during this more than difficult year and I am now putting them first,” he said.

“I have a lot of friends in the sport and I hope they will stay as such. I respect everyone in the sport, whether or not I agree with them is irrelevant. I treat people how I expected to be treated.

“Unfortunately it’s clear the MCUI as a whole north and south are no longer fit for purpose. I will not be standing for a second term.”

The News Letter has contacted the MCUI (Ulster Centre) for a response.