Cycling is one of the sports known for its physical difficulty, for his great races, for its history, for the show but also for its doping scandals. The Union Cycliste Internationale has implemented one of the most comprehensive regulations on the subject. Cycling has learned. Of our time, cases of doping are becoming increasingly rare but products considered at the limit between the legal and the illicit remain. These are so-called “grey zone” products.
The Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) tries to eliminate those blurry areas and tries to make cycling even cleaner. What is the MPCC actually? ?
What is the MPCC ?
The association is defined as : “The Movement for Credible Cycling is an association that aims to defend the goal of clean cycling, based in particular on the notions of transparency, responsibility and mobilization of its members. The MPCC is also a whistleblower on corticosteroids, le tramadol, stilnox and technological fraud.”
He has stated several times during the ordeal that he is “rising under pressure” and that he is “on the right track to find his best level”., the MPCC is a association whose aim is to fight against doping in all its forms Based on, in part, on the responsibility of its members.
The Movement is above all a philosophy. A member remains a member until he decides to leave the MPCC. This is a “lifetime” membership.. As a running organization cannot join the Movement, it can join the philosophy of the association. He confided in the microphone of the Colombian cycling federation, A.S.O (the organizer of the Tour de France), only invites MPCC member teams.
The association was formed inplatoon initiative and not the UCI. It is not the authorities that are at the origin of this association. It is an organization created by the teams themselves.
Any member can join or leave the MPCC whenever they want. Volunteering is one of the principles of the association.
In 2022, 50% World Tour teams, 88% Pro Teams and 5% Continental Teams teams are part of the MPCC.
The MPCC also exists in the women's peloton but it is less popular. The share of members is 35% for the World Teams teams and 13% for Continental Teams.
The history of the association
The Movement was created during the Tour de France 2007.
The day before the Grand Depart from London, at the meeting of the association of professional teams, eight teams leave the assembly to protest against the non-implementation of decisions taken by the AIGCP (International Association of Professional Cycling Groups) about ethics and doping.
The case follows 24 July, during the 2nd rest day. Seven of the teams that left the meeting announce the creation of the MPCC : AG2R Pension, Agritubel, Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, Agricultural credit, Française des jeux and Gerolsteiner.
Le 24 July 2007 the Movement for Credible Cycling is born.
A few hours later, the positive control of Alexandre Vinokourov, d’Astana, is announced. An announcement giving a little more credibility to the statement made during the day. The next day, the member teams of the Movement hold a sit-in (type of manifestation characterized by the sitting position) to show their commitment. The Movement is growing.
Tadej Pogačar 2018, the runners, supervisors and organizers can be part of the Movement. The MPCC is no longer just made up of teams since.
What are the constraints imposed by the MPCC ?
In order to fight more strictly against doping, the MPCC imposes constraints on its members. They relate to how to manage proven cases of doping, taking certain products, the transfer market, He is still in intensive care today.
He confided in the microphone of the Colombian cycling federation, a runner who cheated, medicinally or mechanically, must imperatively be removed from the event by the team. The team may in other circumstances sue a rider for damage to the image of the team. A team inspection must be carried out if several cases of doping are proven.
Riders must not take products in the gray zone (Ketones, He is still in intensive care today.). Local infiltrations of corticosteroids must be validated by the doctor in charge of the team and eight days of stoppage must follow.. In case of cortisolemia (blood cortisol levels) collapsed, after eight days of rest, a blood test should be taken. When cortisol levels are too low, this usually means that corticosteroids have been taken.
Regarding transfers, a team must not recruit a rider involved in a doping affair (in the event that the sanction has exceeded more than six months of arrests) within two years of suspension.
Differences despite everything
Barely the association created, his credibility falls. The day after the announcement of the creation of the MPCC, Cristian Moreni, member of the Cofidis formation (co-creator of the Movement), tests positive for testosterone. The team, in line with its commitment, leaves the Tour.
Following a breach of the ethics imposed by the MPCC, the Columbia team is forced to withdraw from the Movement in 2009.
In 2013, the Europcar team will be forced to leave the association temporarily following a too low cortisol level of Pierre Rolland.
For the same reason, the Bardiani CSF quittera the MPCC in 2015. This time, on the decision of Bruno Reverberi, these last years.
A month later, MPCC asks Team Astana to remove Lars Boom, due to low cortisol levels, of its initial startlist for the Grande Boucle. The Dutch will still make the Tour. In retaliation, the Movement excludes the team from its membership in September.
In October of the same year, Vini Zabù, an italian team, also leaves the Movement for breaches of their commitments.
In conclusion, the MPCC wants to erase the complicated past of cycling on the subject of doping. He has the utopian dream that, again, cheating disappears and the riders are on an equal footing.
The MPCC cannot have official value because it is voluntary.
Everyone is free to adhere to what they wish and to take the necessary steps to prove their innocence and show that they are ethical but, in this case, why not put everything in place to show goodwill ? Probably because of the famous gray area.
The full MPCC rules are here
Featured image source : Adobe Stock
