Despite the recent announcement by the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) that the GreenEdge team is one of eight members for the 2012 season, the squad has said that such an announcement is not yet accurate.
"Shayne [Bannan, general manager] attended one of their meetings recently and we are in discussion. Nothing has been decided yet," team media officer Brian Nygaard told the Sydney Morning Herald.
He indicated that the team was surprised to see that the MPCC had confirmed the signing.
That detail was contained in a release issued one week ago. The MPCC listed seven others as being on board, namely Ag2r La Mondiale, Bretagne- Schuller, Cofidis Crédit Par Téléphone, Europcar, Francaise Des Jeux - Big Mat, Garmin – Barracuda and Project 1t4i.
The MPCC’s members follow the standard anti-doping regulations but have stricter rules in place. Additional measures include a lengthy ban on the use of corticosteroids, which means that even riders receiving the substance as part of a medical treatment cannot race.
The member teams have also committed not to race riders who are awaiting a decision in relation to anti-doping procedures, and have committed to the old UCI Code of Ethics which has been gradually forgotten by other teams.
The MPCC confirmed last week 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 is not yet known when GreenEdge will make its final decision, but any increase over standard anti-doping regulations would give the team additional credibility.