Why does sponsors have to join MPCC ?
Since 1997, Française des Jeux (FDJ) has been a long-standing partner of cycling, investing in team FDJ, and a strong support of MPCC since the very beginning of the movement. Representing this sponsor, Thierry Huguenin explains why cycling needs more companies within MPCC's sponsor section. He wants more responsability and "would like cycling to become a pioneer" in terms of sponsoring "just as it used to be in the antidoping fight, for almost twenty years now".
This thursday, Bora Holding GmbH, main sponsor of Bora-Argon 18 team, became member of MPCC's sponsor section. Cofidis, Lotto, IAM, AG2R La Mondiale and FDJ are also members as companies, in compliance with their team's membership. LCL and PMU, historical partners of the Tour de France, are also part of MPCC.
Bora becomes member of MPCC's sponsor section
Bora Holding GmbH, main sponsor of the German Continental Pro team Bora - Argon 18, has applied for MPCC membership. "The reasons for our membership are that we stand for real clean cycling and we would like to support credible cycling, Will Bruckbauer said, owner and manager of Bora Holding GmbH. Furthermore we appreciate the philosophy of MPCC very much and we think that MPCC has done a great job so far." The board of MPCC has accepted the request of Bora Holding GmbH, new member of MPCC's sponsor section.
Final 2014 doping figures
Identifying cases of doping is not an easy task and is subject to discretion if required by their respective international federations, some do not advertise doping cases in their discipline. Cycling, in contrast, reveals each positive test. Our numbers are therefore based on proven cases in 2014, according to official communications federations and anti-doping agencies, etc..
Athletics is the most affected sport in 2014 with a total of 95 positive tests, ahead of baseball with 62 cases. Cycling is fourth with sixteen cases, almost one sixth of athletics figures.
MPCC counting includes :
- Road cycling: thirteen cases identified for this most publicised discipline.
- Track-cycling : two case.
- Mountain-Bike : one cases.
Each time a team member of MPCC has been concerned by a case, the MPCC regulations were followed to the letter : suspension, dismissal, self-suspension when required.
MPCC's follow up on the application of its own rules
Commitment of the members, on a volunteer basis, is proving to be the essential complement to UCI rules.
For the record, MPCC represents 78% of World Tour and Continental Pro teams. Since 2007, these teams fully apply the internal regulations, based on stricter conditions than AMA’s rules.
Now that the sporting season is over, the MPCC’s Board of Directors decided to report on rules application, particularly about the teams which will now have to suspend themselves in the event of a new violation of the MPCC rules, hoping it will not occur again.
MPCC recalls that riders have a duty and a commitment to follow WADA and UCI rules. Non-compliance with these regulations affects the team and more generally cycling’s image.
- ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI will have to suspend itself for a week if one of its riders violates anti doping rules before May 30th, 2015.
- ASTANA CONTINENTAL, currently suspended by Kazakh federation, will have to suspend itself for five weeks (4+1) if it returns to competition.
- ASTANA WORLD TOUR will have to suspend itself for four weeks if one of its riders violates anti doping rules before August 1st, 2016.
- COLOMBIA will have to suspend itself for one week if one if its riders violates anti doping rules before January 22th, 2015.
- LAMPRE-MERIDA will have to suspend itself for one week if one of its riders violates anti doping rules before May 21st, 2015.
- RUSVELO will have to suspend itself for four weeks if one of its riders violate anti doping rules before March 17th, 2015.
- NERI SOTTOLI will have to suspend itself for one week if one of its riders violates anti doping rules before August 7th, 2015. This team is suspended from MPCC until the next annual general meeting, planned on October 2015.
In any case, self-suspension process will have to wait upon the result of the analysis of the B sample.
For several months, provisions made by the MPCC regulation, which exist ever since MPCC’s creation (2007), have been seen as the essential and undeniable complement to the UCI set of rules.
This straight line held by the MPCC voluntary member teams reflects the complementary nature of our rules with those of UCI and WADA, as a common goal to make the anti doping fight even more efficient.
MPCC recalls that member teams are committed to their pledge: “in case of an ongoing disciplinary prosecution, a rider will be evicted immediately from a race, in order to prevent cycling’s image and credibility to be jeopardized”.
Torku-Sekerspor probationary member of MPCC
Disqualified winner of both Tours of Turkey 2012 and 2013, following positive EPO tests of Ivailo Gabrovskiy and Mustafa Sayar, the team Torku-Sekerspor welcomes in 2015 a very new manager, French Lionel Marie. "My first job consists in developing a strong antidoping policy. To do so, it seemed essential to me that the team should join MPCC", he explains. So the Turkish continental team applied to be part of the movement: the request was accepted by the board but on probation in order to allow Torku-Sekerspor to demonstrate they can be full member.
Lionel Marie describes the motivations of Torku-Sekerspor: "After two EPO cases on two Tours of Turkey, the team has complied with ADAMS system requirements. There is a clear need to turn the page and this is my number one priority, and that's why the sponsor wanted to hire me. You all know my convictions regarding antidoping."
Team Roompot new member of MPCC
Team Roompot has applied to join MPCC. The new team managed by Michael Zijlaard will be part of the Continental Pro division in 2015. The board has accepted the request, making it the 28th team in the first or the second division to be member of the movement. Team Roompot's leaders for the coming year will be Johnny Hoogerland, Marc de Maar and the Kreder brothers and cousins, Michel, Raymond and Wesley.
12/03 Press Release
At the last MPCC general meeting, all of the team members have required from Neri Sottoli’s manager Angelo Citracca further explanations in order to confirm, or not, the membership of the team. At the end of the interview with Serge Parsani, team’s sporting director Neri Sottoli, representing Anglo Citracca this tuesday, the board of directors agreed unanimously to suspend the team Neri Sottoli with immediate effect, until the general meeting of October 2015.
The board of directors took note of the decision by Kazakh federation to suspend continental team Astana’s activity. If the second opinions confirm the first tests and if Astana Continental were to resume its activity, it should start by self-suspending for five weeks, just as MPCC rules says (one week because of the 2nd positive case and four weeks due to the 3rd).
For the record, Astana World Tour team has complied with MPCC rules by self-suspending for one week after two positive cases. The team didn’t compete in the Tour of Beijing (World Tour) and two italian Europe Tour races.
MPCC also approved the membership of the continental German team Stötling.
Can we accept all the teams within the MPCC?
The latest cases that have affected cycling highlighted the strict rules of MPCC and prompted many reactions, especially about a basic principle of the movement: no locked doors to registration. Can MPCC let every team in? Manager of Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela, Gianni Savio is well placed to provide his insight: his team experienced some doping cases in the past and his team roster includes two reformed riders. Last year, when Francesco Reda’s biological passport showed anomalies and despite the length of disciplinary proceedings, he kept the commitment made with MPCC by applying the precautionary principle which asks for the rider's suspension from any competition while keeping him in the team. If Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela had not been member of MPCC, it would not have been required to the team. Threatened with self-suspension by that regulation until 30 May 2015, Gianni Savio renewed its commitment to the movement for the coming year.
Doping figures to 1st of November
Identifying cases of doping is not an easy task and is subject to discretion if required by their respective international federations, some do not advertise doping cases in their discipline. Cycling, in contrast, reveals each positive test. Our numbers are therefore based on proven cases in 2014, according to official communications federations and anti-doping agencies, etc..
Baseball (55) is not the most affected sport in 2014 anymore : athletics took the lead in the rankings with a total of 63 positive controls, thirty more than three months ago. Weightlifting stays third with twenty cases. Cycling falls behind with thirteen cases, less than a quarter of athletics figures.
MPCC counting includes :
- Road cycling: ten cases identified for this most publicised discipline.
- Track-cycling : two case.
- Mountain-Bike : one cases.
Each time a team member of MPCC has been concerned by a case, the MPCC regulations were followed to the letter : suspension, dismissal, self-suspension when required.
10/21 Press release
Le Mouvement pour un Cyclisme Crédible (The Movement For Credible Cycling) (MPCC) noted that all member teams stood by the rules laid down by the movement in 2014, with the exception of Neri Sottoli team. MPCC deplored that this structure did not forewarn spontaneously, following the positive control of its rider Matteo Rabottini, and did not provide an explanation acceptable to the general meeting, to which it does not show up. The membership of Neri Sottoli team for 2015 will be dependent on the content of new explanations.
Concerning the Astana team, Dmitriy Fofonov, mandated by the general manager Alexandre Vinokourov, publicly delivered explanations of the team following the positive controls of Maxim and Valentin Iglinskiy, while reaffirming the commitment of the team at the MPCC rules. The team has been self-suspended for a period of one week during the Tour of Beijing (World Tour). The General Assembly took note and found that the Astana team fully observed the regulation of MPCC in a very short time (four days).
In the context of self-suspensions, the demands of MPCC to introduce all or part of its rules in the regulation of the International Cycling Union (UCI) is under consideration by the UCI, the objectives are the same as those pursued by MPCC.
Teams members of MPCC ask for the number of cortisol tests, produced several times a year on a voluntary basis, to be increased and whether made on various categories of races, including the continental circuits.
MPCC wants to be implemented quickly, in collaboration with the UCI, a committee of international experts, including two doctors of MPCC teams, to determine common positions on the use of corticosteroids.
The General Assembly of MPCC has unanimously validated its rules and regulations for 2015, which includes several changes. From now on, abnormal biological passport, using an electric or motorized bike, corruption facts or illegal sports betting, having been the object of disciplinary proceedings by the UCI, will be taken into account in the process of self-suspension.
The mandates of Roger Legeay, Iwan Spekenbrink (Giant-Shimano), Vincent Lavenu (AG2R La Mondiale) and Yvon Sanquer (Cofidis), outgoing members of the board, were renewed at the General Meeting.
The composition of the Board of Directors MPCC 2015:
- Roger Legeay, President
- Iwan Spekenbrink (Giant-Shimano), Vice-President
- Philippe Senmartin, Secretary
- Vincent Lavenu (AG2R La Mondiale), Treasurer
- Serge Beucherie (IAM Cycling), Assistant Secretary
- Marc Sergeant (Lotto-Soudal), Assistant Treasurer
- Christophe Brandt (Color Code - Biowanze), Member
- Yvon Sanquer (Cofidis), Member
- Gianni Savio (Androni Giocattoli - Venezuela), Member
Doctors representatives of MPCC in 2015 will be Dr. William Gerard (FDJ) and Dr. Jan Mathieu (Lotto-Soudal).
Representatives of Sponsors members of MPCC in 2015 will be Marc Frederix (Belgian National Lottery) and Thierry Huguenin (FDJ).