CYCLING:A PLANNED appeal by three international women riders who were not awarded funding through the carding scheme has been dismissed by Cycling Ireland, the governing body refusing to sign off on the bid to get funding.

At a meeting held last Saturday, the Women's Commission met the Cycling Ireland board to discuss the carding issue and cite what they see as inequalities in funding criteria. Despite outlining several obvious discrepancies, they were told the appeals would not be considered because CI feels the three - Siobhán Dervan, Jenny Fay and Louise Moriarty - fall short of the CI/ISC criteria.

The inequalities include the provision of international funding to male riders with the top 18 teams (known as ProTour squads) while Dervan's submission that she deserves similiar because she is at an equivalent level is dismissed.

She is due to compete this year with the Italian pro squad Fenixs, a team that was ranked seventh in the world in September 2007.

The Women's Commission say they were told at the meeting that Cycling Ireland considered the men's ProTour to be of a higher standard than the women's World Cups, even though this is the top level in that wing of the sport.

Currently, women with pro squads can apply under team criteria for development funding only and applicants are subject to an upper age limit of 27 years.

No age limit exists for men on ProTour teams.

"Our main gripe was under equal opportunities," Valerie Considine of the Women's Commission said. "There aren't the same opportunities in place for the women as there are for the men.

"With a specific track programme or the Sean Kelly squad some (male) riders qualify for carding; however, no such programmes exist for the women. Therefore the opportunities are not the same."

The women's commission were told there were plans to fund a women's track squad at some point in the future.

With the season already under way, however, and nothing in place in terms of plans or funding, Dervan - Ireland's most talented female rider - is considering retiring from the sport.

FIXTURES: Saturday: John Moore Memorial, Lough Moss Centre, Castlereagh, starts 10am; Rás Luimní, Fedamore, starts 1pm; Sunday: Des Hanlon Memorial, Carlow, starts 11am; St Patrick's Classic, Downpatrick, starts 11am. Monday: St Patrick's Day race, Batterstown, starts 11am; Carraig Hotel Cup, Carrick-on-Suir, starts 1pm.