Velobs

MPCC request WADA to include Tramadol in the list of prohibited products

"A significant number of samples containing Tramadol"

Following a general meeting of the doctors in charge of the teams members of MPCC, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have been asked, in June, to include Tramadol into the list of banned substances in competition in 2014. WADA responded that the statute relating to the use of this substance would be considered by its experts at the next meeting, which was the case on the 22nd and 23rd of August. WADA confirm that "the number of samples containing Tramadol is significant" and that "a majority of them come from cyclists." However, it was decided to extend the monitoring program for the substance for one more year. The program began in 2012 and aims to be a prerequisite for any entry on the banned list.

Collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry is essential

Nevertheless, WADA point out to MPCC that "Tramadol remains on the priority actions list" of the experts. The sharing of information with the Pharmaceutical Industry and the anti-doping authorities, including WADA, becomes fundamental because of misuse and abuse of drugs, newly developed and commercially available. In the case in point, Tramadol has significant addictive side effects. MPCC suggested "that these new molecules that can be diverted from their use, are marked by the pharmaceutical industry before being placed on the market."

Read the letter of MPCC - Read the answer of WADA

by Velobs

Cookson : "MPCC, a priority partner"

"I will not fail to consider the MPCC as a priority partner and to have a dialogue with the association on how best we could work together. It is with pleasure that I intend to cooperate with you and your organization and I plan to organize a meeting very soon." New UCI President, Brian Cookson has reached out to MPCC for future joint actions. "MPCC is now an indispensable interlocutor in order to find again all the credibility of our sport", responds the President Roger Legeay.

The candidates were questioned about various proposals:

- Sanction of 4 years for a first infraction regarding « heavy » doping substances

- Team auto-suspension in the event of several anti-doping controls within the team

- Common set of rules for steroid use

Brian Cookson reports that he "has long supported the proposal of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to increase the duration of the suspension of two to four years", and stressed the need to "ensure that the fight against doping is fully and truly independent of UCI in order to restore full confidence of the public towards our sport.” That goes in the same direction as the MPCC "wants to see the image of cycling become a priority from now."

The next general meeting of MPCC will be held on Tuesday, October 22nd in Paris, on the eve of the Tour de France presentation. Brian Cookson was invited to join in : "Your presence would be a formal token that the values defended by MPCC are well heard."

Read the letter of Brian Cookson (in french)

by Velobs

MPCC open letter to candidates for UCI presidency

On September 27, the UCI Congress will elect its President. Pat McQuaid, current UCI President, and Brian Cookson are the two candidates. MPCC wrote an open letter on September 9 to the candidates, detailing its core values, insisting on members making a voluntary commitment, reminding the significant number of members (40 teams, 11 sponsors, 9 organizers and 7 federations) and the key points of its internal set of rules.

On several occasions, MPCC has brought solutions for professional cycling instances :

• In March, the UCI has strengthened its rules on corticosteroids use, extending the period of inactivity from 2 to 8 days for a rider who had to receive local steroid injections, aligning with the strict rules implemented by MPCC.
• In June, the UCI approved the decision of AG2R La Mondiale to auto-suspend the team for one week (during the Criterium du Dauphine), according to MPCC rules, after two positive antidoping controls in less than 12 months.
• In 2012, the UCI adopted a rule stating that returning riders from a significant doping ban (2 years and more) cannot earn « sporting value » points for his team during 2 years. This decision followed a proposition from MPCC, supported by the AIGCP and the CPA.

Today, MPCC is pleased to see that WADA is considering to strengthen its Anti-Doping Code, with rules that have been asked for, for several years :

• Implement steroid passport in the antidoping fight
• Introduce tramadol in the list of prohibited products
• Increase the length of sanctions, from 2 to 4 years, in the case of the use of heavy doping substances

Two weeks before the election, MPCC asks the two candidates for UCI Presidency to state on several measures, aiming at reinforcing cycling credibility :

• Sanction of 4 years for a first infraction regarding « heavy » doping substances
• Team auto-suspension in the event of several antidoping controls within the team
• Common set of rules for steroid use

Such dispositions, if they were to be adopted by the UCI – and not only by MPCC members – would make all the riders and teams equal in the eye of the public, with a goal : make cycling more credible.

Read the letter

Pictures : Unipublic, MPCC

by Velobs

"Cycling need more efficiency"

Anti-doping was a major topic of discussion in the past few days, after the presentation of the report of the Inquiry Commission of the French Senate. From your perspective, what is the key lever to fight doping?

The main problem of anti-doping fight is that laboratories don't have enough funds. We need to give them the means to catch up with the cheaters, so that they are able to sanction them today and not in 15 years. And then, they need to act accordingly. An ideal solution would be to focus investments in a laboratory or two. If France wants to remain a key country in the anti-doping fight, we need to drastically increase resarch funds.

What about doing more controls?

There are already a lot of controls. The Senate report states that implementing more thorough controls induces spending more money on them, which means the number of controls would have to be reduced. But cycling need more efficiency (same number of controls, improved controls), and for that, there is no other solution than increasing funding. In summary: appropriate measures, increased financial means and more appropriate penalties.

MPCC requested WADA to implement 4-years suspensions.

As many players, we insist on sanctions being more severe. We also asked WADA to make tramadol part of the list of banned products. We were told that this matter was to be debated in August. We need WADA to move forward with everybody: extended suspensions to at least 4 years, bring back cortisol level tests... WADA is the supranational government of the anti-doping fight. After the Festina case, we wanted an independent organization aiming at harmonizing rules between the different sports. Did it work? The answer is no. Rules are not the same for everybody. In some sports, there is no geolocation and even no biological passport. The mission today is to have a common set of rules and sanctions in every sport.

(see opposite the distribution of the anti-doping tests in different sports, © WADA)

A request was also made to the French Ministry for Sports to bring back cortisol level tests. What is the status of that request?

The French Minister for Sports is a member of the WADA Board: she needs to work as an intermediary and messenger. When we write to the Ministry, we are told to go directly through WADA... The Ministry is in accordance with our position and says: WADA needs to act. We took notice of their position. In the meantime, MPCC, in collaboration with the French Cycling National League and French Federation, implemented cortisol level controls in Paris-Nice, at the 4 Days of Dunkirk, at the Criterium du Dauphine, and twice during the Tour de France, in the context of health and based on a voluntary basis. So it is definitely possible.

The French Senate released a list 1998 and 1999 Tour de France dopers. How useful is it for the anti-doping fight?

This is not fresh news that riders took EPO in 1998. The real question is what we need to do now. Today, we need to be aware that the efficiency of antidoping measures is way higher than fifteen years ago. In 1998, there were only urinal controls. Jean-Marie Leblanc, Daniel Baal and myself then asked for blood samples. Then came the unannounced controls, out-of-competition controls, geolocation, biological passport, EPO screening tests and other products. All the set of has changed. Cycling is by far the most controlled sport by now. On the Tour de France, there were more than 500 controls made by UCI and AFLD and 116 by MPCC. The 14 teams members of MPCC on the Tour supported our process and our rules. Our close collaboration allowed us to measure cortisol levels in a quiet and efficient way. The future must be different. With commitment from teams, managers and riders, it will be different.

by Velobs