Cycling Ireland has been accepted into the international lobby group for cleaner cycling, the ‘Movement for Credible Cycling’. The group is more commonly known by its French name Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Credible (MPCC).
With UCI president Pat McQuaid seeking a third term in office and seeking a nomination from Cycling Ireland, the association’s membership of the MPCC may present difficulties in any nomination of McQuaid.
The MPCC believes the UCI needs to change its policies and has been lobbying to that effect. The Irishman has been at the helm of the UCI for the whole period since the MPCC’s inception.
Cycling Ireland has not made any decision yet on the issue of nominating McQuaid, saying it will wait until the completion of the independent review into the UCI’s handling of the Lance Armstrong affair.
Advertisement
The MPCC is effectively a movement that is seeking to reform the sport and impose stronger ethics and longer doping bans in the fight against performance enhancing drugs.
Related News
Cycling Ireland announced two weeks ago that it had applied to join the movement and has now just revealed it has been accepted into its ranks. As part of that move, Cycling Ireland has now officially signed up to a number of measures, including:
- The non-selection of riders who have received corticosteroid treatment eight days prior to an event;
- Calling for increased penalties, including a four year ban, for the use of heavy doping products or methods.
- The non-selection of riders on the announcement of a positive test result pending the final outcome.
- Not selecting riders who, following a breach of anti-doping rules, have been suspended for more than six months in the two year period following the suspension.
- Requiring UCI teams registered with Cycling Ireland to affiliate to the MPCC.
The MPCC formed in 2007 in the midst of the Operación Puerto doping scandal. Its president, Roger Legeay received renewed support recently in the wake of the Lance Armstrong case.
Membership now has nearly doubled to 18 teams, including four first-division teams, agreeing to the movement’s standards of conduct.
The movement is also being bolstered by other entities aside from teams seeking to join or become affiliated.
The Association of Race Organizers (AIOCC) essentially forced four-year bans and tighter anti-doping controls on cycling last week by voting in favour of the MPCC. It agreed to give MPCC’s member teams priority when issuing invitations to its races, which include the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. The association represents some 115 races, including the three grand tours and all major classics.
Topics
