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.
Lavenu : "We will stand by our commitment"
On Facebook and Twitter, some suggest that a MPCC member should leave the movement when one of its riders is convicted on doping charges. What do you think about it ?
When a team joins MPCC, it doesn't mean that there is no chance one of its riders returns a positive test at an anti-doping control. But a doping case can't sum up the philosophy of a team with a staff of about fifty members, including 29 riders. However, because it can happen, our commitment means that we are ready to pay a high price if it does. If the analysis of the B sample of Sylvain Georges is also positive, we will stand by our commitment to MPCC, even if it means we can't take part in the next World Tour event after the Giro, and have to momentarily suspend the team activity.
The team AG2R-La Mondiale is a MPCC member, and so is the sponsor. How did the sponsor react to this news ?
f course, it's always a bad news for a partner. The sponsor commits with us because of our values and image, as well as for fame. The life of a company is composed of happy and unhappy events. And these times of crisis necessarily concern our sponsors. This is a very difficult time for us, especially after the previous case of Steve Houanard, found positive in september 2012. We aim to handle this kind of crisis over time, hoping to assert better arguments for our partner in the future.
The C of MPCC stands for « credible ». Does Sylvain Georges letter appear credible to you ?
I don't know. I want to believe him. At least Sylvain gave explanations without delay. He immediately responded and admitted his mistake. He didn't try to deny the facts alleged against him. This is a good thing. But his actions and neglicence – at the very least – have serious implications. And the whole team suffers from it.
Four organizers join MPCC
- Gérald FEUVRIER, organizer of CIRCUIT CYCLISTE DE LA SARTHE ET DES PAYS DE LOIRE (Fra, 2.1), joins MPCC.
- André MARTRES, organizer of Tour MEDITERRANEEN (Fra, 2.1), joins MPCC.
- Roland MONTENAT organizer of ROUTE ADELIE de VITRE (Fra, 1.1), joins MPCC.
- Laurent SERVAES and Philippe CILLIOU, organizers of TOUR DE L'AIN (Fra, 2.1), join MPCC.
Roger Legeay: "A starting point"
What is the « Year Zero » concept ?
After the Armstrong case, many of us felt the need to mobilize. Those who were not yet members found with MPCC a place to express themselves, leading to credible decision making. This is no philosophy. Everybody’s will is to look towards the future. Looking at the past is not our mission – we have nor the means neither the mandate – this is the role of police, courts, sports bodies, WADA… Our goal is to make cycling more credible in the months and years to come. Team managers are decision-makers in the sense that they have the means to act : suspend or lay off a rider, decide who to hire or not… National team managers can also make choices. We are talking about future, not past. Teams joining MPCC are committed in the eyes of the press, the sponsors, the federations… There is strength in numbers. The growing number of members is significant, and the starting point is 2013, January 1st. Whatever happened before is outside of the scope of MPCC, even though it is important to underline that some teams have been complying with MPCC rules for 6 years. We now expect less positive cases, cheaters fearing to be laid off, to not be able to find work. At least with MPCC teams : that’s the difference. Joining MPCC is a commitment to all, in complete transparency. This is why I think that everybody will stand by his word. It has been the case since the beginning of the year. The best evidence is the testing for steroids that went well during Paris-Nice.
What would you say to those criticizing the fact that teams with a shady past join the MPCC ?
We are no court, and we don’t intend to be. We have no judicial power and membership can be granted to those wishing to. Past issues belong in the past, even though the teams may have to answer for it with the relevant authorities. But if new matters arise this year and after, they will be accountable to MPCC, the press, the public, the sponsors… Today, on their good faith, we want to welcome them to MPCC : « Join us and abide by harder rules ». MPCC is meant to have teams joining to comply with a strong commitment, not rejecting these teams. Our goal is to complement the role of WADA, whom we called to implement more severe sanctions when the use of « heavy » products is proved. Most people in cycling advocate longer suspension periods. As for MPCC teams in probatory period, they have one year to be in compliance with MPCC standards.
What do you expect exactly from these teams ?
That they respect the commitment made: team managers gave their word in front of everybody, at the general assembly. If one team’s conduct is improper, all MPCC members will have the right to say: « You have damaged our image ». We have a genuine legitimacy, as our movement relies on very specific items: a set of regulations, a strong commitment… Testing positive is concrete, but a layoff due to this positive control is also concrete. Today, MPCC proposes very concrete measures.
Can we imagine that all teams join MPCC?
Let’s imagine it’s the case: everybody would have to comply with the same rules. It would be better for cycling’s credibility that all teams follow harder rules. The more members the better. Before 2013, January 1st, we were said to have too few members, and today, they are four times the number of teams. Institutional sponsors as LCL and PMU – historical Tour de France sponsors – also have a voice at the General Assembly of MPCC. Federations also can attend our meetings. This is game-changing and improves the credibility of our movement.
Christian Prudhomme: "AIOCC position is clear: priority to MPCC"
How did you take into account MPCC members while choosing the teams invited for the next Criterium International (March, 23rd-24th)?
We have invited all the MPCC teams who applied to the race, eleven teams in that case. Then, we chose the rest of the teams given the roster they were proposing. This is a rule we wish to apply to all our HC races (Tour of Qatar, Tour of Oman, Paris-Tours).
As the AIOCC president, what message did you want to convey to organizers in relation to MPCC ?
The AIOCC position hasn’t moved since november, when I presented it during its general assembly : priority goes to MPCC teams. Obviously, it doesn’t mean that organizers have to invit only MPCC teams. But MPCC sets harder rules to its own teams and riders, and I welcome it. When two teams are at the same level, we have to show that the MPCC one defends a cycling we love, a cycling from a better world. Not a perfect world, but a better one. For instance, on ASO races, all the wild-cards for World Tour races are reserved to MPCC teams.
Is the notion of probatory period, set by MPCC for some of the new members, important ?
Yes, I’m fully satisfied with this decision, it’s definitrly what the MPCC philosophy is. We all want to tend towards a better cycling, and sometimes, it’s necessary to wait a bit to assess the evolution in behaviors. MPCC stated from the beginning that it would not close the door on new members. But if we consider what happened in the past, it is a good decision to implement a probatory period. Teams that are concerned have one year to show their efforts, and if everything goes well, they become then full MPCC members.
This probatory period was indeed an appropriate decision for MPCC, its credibility and the credibility of those who defend its values.
Should UCI align its rules with those set by MPCC, as it started to, taking position on corticosteroids ?
The problem is that the rules set by MPCC are even harder than those of the World Anti-Doping Code. In fact, MPCC is going beyond sport in general and its rules. If those rules were adopted by a federation, they would obviously have to be applied to everybody, and that would be better understood by all.
Ain’t there a risk of a two-tier cycling since 8 World Tour teams are not MPCC members ?
No, because all the teams, MPCC members or not, have anyway the obligation to comply with the World Anti-Doping Code. Some teams decide to set harder rules to themselves, but it doesn’t mean that the others don’t comply with the anti-doping rules, that govern the world of professional sport, beyond cycling.
LCL, the yellow jersey sponsor for 25 years, and PMU, the green jersey sponsor, recently joined MPCC. Are you behind this decision ?
No, but I am pleased that we share the same values. This is exactly why LCL is the Tour de France first private partner and its most loyal sponsor for 30 years. The same is the case for PMU, who has been a Tour de France sponsor for more than 20 years. There is no coincidence. Through all the difficulties, we have always been there for each other. It simply means that we share the same philosophy, and that we wish for a more credible cycling, a cycling that has the values defended by MPCC.
PMU and LCL join MPCC
They follow 9 other sponsors, already MPCC members : AG2R La Mondiale, Argos Energie, Belisol, Endura, IAM SA, la Loterie Nationale Belge, la Française des Jeux, Cofidis et NetApp.
The company Cofidis joins MPCC
"Our team is one of the historical MPCC members, since 2007. To go further in our involvement, and considering that sponsors have a duty to involve themselves more in the sport they fund, we decide to join MPCC."
Thierry Vittu, president of Cofidis Competition
Provisional membership for Rusvelo
"We are young team and we want to develop following the principles of clean cycling and zero tolerance for doping. We have only Russian riders in our team, so we are the national project and it’s important for us to care of young athletes who are destined to be a future of Russian cycling. We believe that these riders can grow up and improve being clean, fair and open.
It’s really important for us to become a part of new image of cycling. So we agree with rules and philosophy of MPCC and hope that our joint work will be successful and productive."
Renat Khamidulin
Insurance group AG2R La Mondiale joins MPCC
Yvon Breton (Managing Director of the AG2R La Mondiale Group) :
"Your code of ethics not only respects the international rules of the UCI and those issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency, but goes beyond, imposing even stricter rules that we do ours."