The new Australian GreenEdge team has been confirmed as a member of the Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC), the initiative which is made up of teams willing to go beyond the usual anti-doping regulations.
The movement announced the news today and also said that at its recent meeting in Roissy, the eight member teams reaffirmed that they will be bound by its Code of Ethics.
This is more stringent than the World Anti Doping Code of WADA, which most sporting federations are bound by.
The MPCC’s additional measures include a clear ban on the use of corticosteroids, which means that even riders receiving the substance as part of a medical treatment cannot race. It has confirmed that during 2012, an independent expert will continue to verify the non-use of the substance.
The eight teams have also committed not to race riders who are awaiting a decision in relation to anti-doping procedures.
The MPCC has confirmed today that it wants a study into the possible creation of an international structure to rule on anti-doping cases. The UCI has already stated that it wants a new body to replace the traditional practices of a rider’s own federation examining the case, and the MPCC echoes this.
It wants to avoid any questions about partiality in decisions, to speed up anti-doping procedures and also to ensure that uniform punishments are given for the same offences.
Currently each federation is free to impose its own sanctions, although that penalty can be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if the UCI or WADA are not satisfied.
The eight member teams of the MPCC for 2012 are Ag2r La Mondiale, Bretagne- Schuller, Cofidis Crédit Par Téléphone, Europcar, Francaise Des Jeux - Big Mat, Garmin – Barracuda, Project 1t4i and the newest signatory, GreenEdge.
Past pro and former Credit Agricole manager Roger Legeay is the current president of the MPCC.