Androni Giocattoli complies with MPCC rules
Gianni Savio, Androni Giocattoli team manager, received a mail from the UCI, also sent to the Italian Cycling Federation, in which it is asked to bring disciplinary proceedings against the rider Francesco Reda, for missing a antidoping control. The team Androni Giocattoli complied with MPCC rules and suspended its rider before being enjoined by the UCI to do so : Reda did not take part in Milan-San Remo or Giro d'Italia, as a preventive measure, while he was leader of the Europe Tour. He started again to ride in june in the Tour of Estonia, but the opening of the disciplinary proceedings means he is suspended again, pending the Italian Cycling Federation decision.
MPCC doctors fully support Dr Megret
Whenever a MPCC team does not comply with the rules of MPCC and FFC about cortisol level tests, there must be a sanction. This sanction must be approved by the board of directors of MPCC, in accordance with MPCC rules.
Dr. Gérard GUILLAUME,
professional French teams and MPCC doctors representative,
with the unanimous approval of all French doctors of MPCC.
Team Europcar temporarly suspended from MPCC
Following the written explanations :
- Jean-René BERNAUDEAU, manager of Team Europcar
- Dr. Hubert LONG, physician of Team Europcar
- The detailed report of Dr. MEGRET, MPCC national and federal medical doctor expert
- Dr. Gerard Guillaume, representing team doctors at MPCC
The Board of Directors of MPCC unanimously decided:
- To temporarily suspend Team Europcar from MPCC, pending its General Assembly for non-compliance with MPCC internal regulations during the 8 June stage at Dauphine Libere. Therefore, until the next General Assembly, members of this team, namely Jean-René BERNAUDEAU and Dr. Hubert LONG can no longer serve as members of the MPCC Board of Directors.
The strict application of our rules of procedure, on a voluntary basis, is required by all our members, teams, sponsors, teams and / or institutional, national federations, organizers, etc..
The team should not have permitted Pierre Rolland to ride as an outcome of the analysis results, validated by both Dr. MEGRET and Professor Martine Duclos, on both testing time and preanalytical conditions.
Professor Martine Duclos is an endocrinologist, sports physiologist and expert at the Ministry, the CNOSF and AFLD. (10 runners were tested at the same hotel before Pierre Rolland).
The Board of Directors would like to thank all those who fully commit with MPCC to restore cycling credibility.
The cortisol samples were requested by MPCC team doctors in 2007, following the decision of WADA to abandon regulations on steroids. MPCC team doctors are committed to immediately withdraw from the race for health reasons, the rider who has a low or collapsed cortisol levels, which has already been the case.
Since 2012, MPCC is associated with FCC and LNC to make these tests. In 2013, cortisol levels tests were made at Paris-Nice (29 riders), 4 Days of Dunkirk (54 riders) and Dauphine Libere (42 riders). Other controls will take place during the season.
The French Federation has also applied this rule for several years. The rider then can come back after the normalization of his tests. These samples are taken in the context of health and are not anti-doping controls.
Since the beginning of the year, all members of MPCC teams who have faced a problem have fully implemented the internal regulations of MPCC, including AG2R La Mondiale, which practiced auto-suspension at the Dauphine Libere.
Memory:
- MPCC wrote in November 2012 to the AMA to reintroduce legislation on steroids
- MPCC wrote in May 2013 to Ms. Valerie FOURNEYRON (French Sports Minister), to also carry out cortisol level tests in the next Tour de France.
MPCC's reminder about cortisol levels tests
As they did for Paris-Nice and Four Days of Dunkirk, The French Cycling Federation (FFC), Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC) and French National Cycling League (LNC) have taken blood samples during the Criterium du Dauphine to measure cortisol levels. Intra-articular corticosteroid injections have to be validated by the team doctor who will prescribe eight days off–race. In case of low cortisol levels, the rider cannot start the next stage.
Due to low cortisol levels, Europcar rider Pierre Rolland should not have started the 8th stage of the Criterium du Dauphine this Sunday. MPCC states that it will “listen to the explanation given by the manager so that the board of directors can assess and state on this problem”. It's important to remind that these controls are part of a health monitoring program, not anti-doping tests. They aim at prescribing a period of rest to a rider suffering, as demonstrated by low cortisol levels. Then, complementary analysis may be performed. Regarding these controls, MPCC rules are very clear, as it was specified on the information sent to the doctors of all team members, which stated that:
- When it comes to unexpected cortisol levels controls in competition, blood samples are taken by accredited laboratory biologists, members of RBML-Biomnis, approved by FFC / UCI.
- The samples are taken in each GS hotel between 6.30 and 9.00. Riders do not have to be fasting.
- The samples are taken by the laboratory itself under the conditions required by law. Samplers have with them an engagement letter signed by Dr. Armand MEGRET.
- The same dispositions (cortisol levels abnormally low bringing about resting) are also valid for biologies carried out by UCI.
- There is only one accredited laboratory per collection day.
- The laboratory is different depending on the day and place of the race. All of the laboratories are RBML members and meet the same requirements before the law.
- The day of sampling, the same controller makes the determination of plasma cortisol for all riders.
- The results are reported in their entirety by the medical expert (Dr. Armand MEGRET) on the same day to the team doctors, who then deliver them to the riders.
A necessary support from organizers
After accepting Drapac's provisional membership, the MPCC board of directors, gathered this week in Lyon (France), made the MPCC members count a round number: 40 teams (including 11 World Tour teams). The Australian team Drapac already announced aiming at obtaining a Continental Pro licence for next season. Of the 20 Continental Pro teams, 16 are MPCC members, as only Champion System (CHN), CCC Polsat (POL), UnitedHealthCare (USA) and Vini Fantini (ITA) are not.
Efforts being made to make cycling more credible have not gone unnoticed. Cortisol levels tests made during Paris-Nice, Four Days of Dunkirk, Criterium du Dauphine and the next Tour de France, demonstrate the movement's willingness to act in accordance with its commitments. As AG2R La Mondiale did when deciding to apply the auto-suspension rule for 8 days, after registering a second positive case in less than a year.
The efforts made were harmed by the announcement of two positive cases, for which UCI suspects EPO use (waiting for B-sample). The two riders involved were part of the team Vini Fantini, which received a wild card to compete in the Giro d'Italia. Regarding wild cards, Giro organizers decided not to give priority to Continental Pro MPCC members, contrary to the other two Grand Tours. On Tuesday, Roger Legeay told: « I wrote to Giro organizers, that decided to invite three teams that are MPCC members, and one that wasn't. Unfortunately, the serious problem came from the one that wasn't. »
Since the beginning of the season, companies join MPCC, following the teams or races they are sponsoring. Like teams members, they are also making commitments*. According to the MPCC president, it is important for organizers to also join the movement. « Organizers also have the duty and the power to make cycling more credible. We are the only organization in this sport to be composed of representatives from all cycling stakeholders: teams, federations, sponsors and organizers. Even if the latest are not enough yet. » To this day, 7 of the 9 organizers that are MPCC members concern french races.
* One of the commitments made by sponsors is to not hire or use for their communication riders suspended or involved in doping cases after 2013, January 1st.
Drapac Professional Cycling joins MPCC
Team manager Jonathan Breekveldt's declaration of intent :
"I would like to formally apply to the MPCC on behalf of Drapac Professional Cycling. Drapac Professional Cycling and all of its athletes commit to the following the regulations set by the MPCC. At Drapac Professional cycling we have long played a role, since 2004, in the holistic development and wellbeing of cyclists. We see the undertakings set by the MPCC as method to further continue our philosophy and commitment to enhancing the future of both cyclists and the sport of cycling. The fight against doping in the sport of cycling is critical to its health and future. Drapac Professional Cycling want to take an active role in the fight against doping and see by implementing the regulations set by the MPCC we a taking the right step forward I this battle."
Press release 06/04/13
Are present in addition to the board members of the MPCC:
- organizers in the person of Thierry Gouvenou for ASO in his capacity as Chairman of the ROCC
- Thierry Huguenin for FDJ.
This is the first time that this also the board member of the Federation (Board) Irish. The MPCC is in this regard the first international organization that welcomes all stakeholders in professional cycling.
9 race organizers have applied for membership in the MPCC. This is indicative of the importance of movement in the professional cycling.
Two new teams have applied for provisional membership was accepted :
- Russian team RUSVELO, pro-continental
- Australian team Drapac CYCLING, Australian continental cycling team
Because of these provisional membership MPCC today 40 members :
- 11 World Tour
- 16 Pro Continental
- 13 continental
The association has become representative of the professional cycling since the adoption of new statutes and especially since the accession of many teams in number 40 at the moment,
MPCC has adopted new bylaws recalling the rules of auto suspension and commitment Movement prosecute professional cyclists sanctioned for doping
Accordance with the statutes and internal regulations adopted are reminded conditions prosecution by MPCC:
- Wait until final remedies have been taken in sport
- What the riders who will be attacked Justice runners sanctioned with a suspension of more than a year.
Arrangements will be made against the riders concerned by the Advocate of movement,
Regarding doping cases defraying again on chronic GIRO MPCC had attracted the attention of the organizer team invited VINI FANTINI, were not part of the MPCC. The organizer in January 2013 asked VINI FANTINI to join the movement
If Fantini Vini team had been part of teams MPCC, the rider Di Luca who was returning from suspension, (launched in April 2013) would never have been undertaken in accordance with the rules of the MPCC.
The organizers and sponsors joining the movement took the strong commitment not to hire their staff-to-rider or member of management sanctioned for acts of doping. Reference date: 1 January 2013)
Another very important point is the agreement of the organizers member of MPCC accept self suspension teams in accordance with the rules of movement.
This emerged in the case of the AG2R team that is self hanging on the Dauphine Libere and why, given the agreement ASO, the UCI has agreed not to enforce the regulations and to not fining the team concerned.
In this regard MPCC which represents the majority of professional cycling teams hope that the representatives of the AIGCP whose members are mostly members to vote MPCC in the future implementation of a code of ethics.
Controls cortisol were performed on Paris-Nice and the 4 Jours de Dunkerque. An agreement was reached between MPCC, the FFC and the LNC to perform these checks under the responsibility of Dr. Armand MEGRET.
MPCC recalls that in all sports a collapsed threshold of cortisol can lead to serious consequences during intense efforts.
Cortisol tests performed are not anti doping controls, but tests for the riders' health
A request remained unanswered for now, was made minister of sports for these tests are in place for all the teams in the next Tour de France.
Cortisol levels: MPCC warns Ministry of Sport
Since 2008, MPCC has been taking blood samples on the big French races in order to measure cortisol levels. These samples are taken randomly by an independent expert, Doctor Armand Megret. The emphasis is not put on the disciplinary framework, but on the health framework (field of occupational medicine), being able to state on the temporary medical unfitness of an athlete. Since 2012, with the help of FFC and LNC, MPCC took samples on Paris Nice and Four Days of Dunkirk. More samples will be taken on other national races, including Tour de France.
Among the 22 teams taking part to the Tour de France, 14 are MPCC members. In a letter to the French minister of Sports Valérie Fourneyron, MPCC asked to make cortisol levels part of the samples which will be taken on the next Tour de France. “It would be logical that all of the 22 teams be controlled the same way and get an external medical supervision”, says MPCC.
PCC allow AG2R La Mondiale to forfeit in Dauphiné
The Professional Cycling Council has granted MPCC’s request to allow Ag2R La Mondiale to forfeit participation in this year’s Critérium du Dauphiné without financial penalty, on the grounds of its adherence to MPCC rules. The PCC decided no fine will ensue (art. 2.15.128) on the grounds that the sporting penalty was sufficient and that the organizer was supportive. The team nonetheless remains solely responsible for its actions. The matter was brought before the Professional Cycling Council (PCC) as it concerns the UCI WorldTour, specifically article 2.15.128 over which the PCC has jurisdiction.
UCI press release
Many ways to show support to MPCC
MPCC blue wristband appeared in the peloton at the beginning of the 2013 season. Wearing it allows to show your opposition to doping and underline your support to MPCC. Even if it is not only meant for riders and everybody is welcome to embrace MPCC values, riders remain the first ambassadors of the movement. Marcel Kittel, rider for the team Argos-Shimano and one of the best sprinters of the peloton, wears the blue wristband since the beginning of the year. “It’s easy to wear, underlines the german rider. I know what MPCC wants, and I know what I want. We have mutual interests, and I’m very glad to be able to support the movement.”
More and more riders show their support to MPCC. But obviously, wearing the wristband is no obligation: it is possible to show support through other means. It’s the case of Jeremy Roy, rider for the team FDJ: ”I don’t wear the blue wristband, but I still stand by MPCC rules and I’m happy to do it. Being part of a team that is MPCC member is far from insignificant for me. I refuse to wear the bracelet only because I consider this kind of token to be part of the private sphere.” As for FDJ, it was decided to put the MPCC logo “Doping, that’s enough” on the team jersey. “It is another way to show our support, as could be a distinctive sign on the bike.” For instance, at a press conference before Paris-Nice, Romain Feillu, rider from Vacansoleil, said he thought about putting the wristband on his bike. Several teams which are MPCC members have branded their cars and/or their website with the MPCC logo: ways of support are various.