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MPCC teams to extend voluntary tramadol ban?logo-mpcc.png

MPCC teams to extend voluntary tramadol ban?

Tiernan-Locke claimed painkiller was ‘freely offered’ by British Cycling at 2012 World Championships
by Alex Bowden
Wed, Oct 12, 2016 15:52
2

The Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) is to discuss extending its tramadol ban to between races as well as in competition. Use of the drug within the peloton has again come to prominence following claims made by Jonathan Tiernan-Locke last week. The former Team Sky rider claimed that British Cycling “freely offered” tramadol to the country’s riders at the 2012 UCI Road World Championships.

While the controversial painkiller is currently only on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (Wada’s) ‘watch list’, the MPCC – a voluntary membership organisation that adheres to stricter guidelines – has been asking for it to be banned since 2013.

Many cyclists believe tramadol is responsible for crashes in the peloton and MPCC president Roger Legeay told Press Association Sport: "We have no idea why it has not been banned already – Wada told me it was a priority in 2014 and now they say they are monitoring it again."

Wada is reportedly awaiting the findings of a three-year study into the drug's effects on athletes by the University of Granada which is due to be completed next summer.

MPCC teams have already agreed not to use tramadol in competition but are now to discuss whether to go further and also impose greater control on its use between races. Legeay said that a similar rule to the one the organisation operates for cortisone injections could be employed, whereby riders could not race for an agreed period after taking it.

Tramadol
MPCC
Roger Legeay
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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FatBoyW | 8 years ago
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Trustworthy comments from JTL?

Whilst I totally understand the stance and absolutely agree that one should 'live by example', I do also feel that the MPCC should put more pressure on races to ban substances they identify and to look to accelerate their inclusion in WADA lists.

There is no reason why the ASO could not ban the use of tramadol in races they organise and for pressure to be put on WADA to addit to the list.

 

As  for the commentary on teams using the  best possible methods to get the best results, as long as you stay legal I'm afraid morality was chucked out the window decades ago  and it becomes too grey for me. 

The whole thing is a minefield - hence rules because where do you stop?

Paracetamol? Vitamin D supplements? Creatine? Fresh Fruit?  Limits on training? 

Also you have to be caught breaking the rules, learnt that a long time ago in motorsport - 'if you aren't  caught you aren't cheating' seems to be the way - and even then for some even that doesn't hold. an example is Toyota in rallying, of course they just moved on to F1!

 

As for MPCCs wonder claims  that noone has  even been suspended , thay are all whiter than white?- I  guess that includes all the Russian track cyclists who are part of MPCC teams?  Of course they can prove that allthe tests they have ever been involved in were conducted properly?

You see mud slinging is just that  - judge others as you judge yourself

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Jackson | 8 years ago
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Won't affect Sky then... and we now know why they never signed up.

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