PROS – MPCC Press Release of October 15, 2021

The General Assembly of the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) was held on Wednesday, October 13, in Paris, the day before the presentation of the Tour de France, thus renewing a tradition prior to the pandemic.

Source: Press Release

The MPCC congratulated its members for respecting its voluntary regulations, adding that the movement now represents 68% of professional cycling teams.

After a 14-year battle, the MPCC noted with satisfaction the reversal of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which now considers performance enhancement through the use of corticosteroids. Team doctors informed the movement’s members about the new rules, set by WADA, prohibiting the use of corticosteroids by injection and orally in competition. This new regulation is scheduled to come into force on January 1, 2022. The doctors of the member teams point out that, to date, uncertainties still remain regarding the qualitative aspect of the dosages that will be carried out under these new rules.

While awaiting all these clarifications, the movement wishes to observe the application of these new rules by provisionally suspending cortisol tests in 2022, and proposes to review the situation at the next General Assembly. The MPCC hopes, on this subject and others, to establish a privileged relationship with the International Testing Antidoping (ITA), which has been in charge of the UCI’s anti-doping program since this year.

Based on monitoring information collected by WADA, the MPCC learned that the use of tramadol has been sharply declining for 4 years to the point of becoming residual. The movement welcomes the progress of this fight it has led since 2012 against the abusive use of tramadol, which has led to this result. The MPCC also wishes to closely monitor the deviant uses of codeine and caffeine, which can lead to serious health and ethical problems.

Regarding ketone bodies, the MPCC notes that the UCI aligns with the position the movement adopted in 2019, recommending that riders not use this substance, and welcomes the international federation’s commissioning of a scientific study on the effects of ketone bodies. While awaiting the results of this study, the movement formally asks riders and all its members to remain in compliance with this UCI injunction.