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).
"We need all stakeholders to be mobilized"
Philippe Raimbaud, what's your story with MPCC?
The Sojasun team, when I was a member of it, was a member of MPCC. Since then, I have launched my sports agent activity and I wanted to be a supporting member. But we reflected together to how to do it beforehand, and the creation of an "agent" section provided a framework and an opportunity I could not refuse. MPCC corresponds to the values that have always been mine ... even before the movement was born!
This "sports agents" section is like a roadbook ...
It is a guide line. It's a commitment. Like all colleges, we need commitments. This membership should not be taken for appearences. It is mandatory that it must go along with duties. And daily actions must be consistent with these commitments. Anti-doping is not only pieces of paper and signatures.
What is the first commitment taken by agents who become or will become members of MPCC?
Do not offer services to a rider who has a heavy past, literally as figuratively. And therefore do not promote these riders ... It is a cross-disciplinary theme with the teams. We need all stakeholders to be mobilized, they have to unite around common goals so that the noose could be tightening. We will never get the level zero of doping but we can aim to that and snuff out people looking to work in the wrong way. Thus, in my scale, I force myself to some obligations, including the processing of my pre-recruitment. There's no way for me to offer a team a runner with a heavy past, and as a consequence, working for someone whose behavior was deviant. If the agents do not promote these riders, it will become very difficult for them.
So, can we talk of a responsible approach?
In my conception of the role of agent, there is also a daily support that integrates prevention and counseling. For example, I have gained through my experience in professional teams with a good knowledge of the Adams system, the rider can call me to ask me a question and I am in a position to provide valuable information. I think that's part of the role of an agent: the idea is to bring the rider a maximum of advices in as many areas as possible, and that includes prevention, which fits perfectly with the spirit of MPCC.
Could a rider working along with an agent member of MPCC could be regarded, therefore, also liable for the commitments of the MPCC?
Yes, in a way. When an agent works with a rider, he signed a contract of mandate. The agent is appointed by the rider to be his official representative. As far as I am concerned My mandate contrats are clear and unequivocal on the duties to be observed by the rider, particularly in the preservation of health and the fight against doping.
Astana team suspend themselves for Beijing
On Monday, October 6th, Astana team have communicated the decision of their rider Maxim Iglinskiy "not to stand against the second opinion following his positive test on August, 1th 2014." This is the confirmation of the second positive control suffered by the Astana team in less than twelve months after the one of Valentin Iglinskiy.
The MPCC has established, on the basis of commitment and volunteerism, a more stringent settlement than international bodies. In this context, Astana team, which have adhered to MPCC since 2013, apply the regulation, which provides self-suspension from the team for a period of eight days, from the first day of the next World Tour race.
This self-suspension will therefore apply from October,10th, the date of start of the Tour of Beijing, to October,17th , and will also concern the Tour of Emilia and GP Bruno Beghelli. The whole team will be off during this period. This temporary suspension of the team’s activities is to implement any corrective action they deem appropriate.
10/02 Press Release
This Wednesday, UCI released a positive test for EPO concerning the rider Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana).
The team manager, Alexandre Vinokourov, warned personally Roger Legeay, president of MPCC, to give an explanation about this new case.
This is the second alleged doping offense involving riders of the Astana team in less than twelve months, after the one of Valentin Iglinskiy, who tested positive on August, 11st. In this case, according to the MPCC regulation, a member team agrees on a voluntary basis to temporarily suspend operations for eight days from the next World Tour race.
This approach does, however, apply only after the result of the counter-analysis, if the rider requests it. MPCC has specifically asked the Astana team to hear its rider Maxim Iglinskiy, in order to know if he makes a confession or requests counter-analysis.
If this counter-analysis is claimed, MPCC wishes that the result will be quickly released, as it was already the case in similar circumstances last year.