MPCC wants to alert the French authorities to cortisol controls. To do so, MPCC has contacted the Sports Minister Valérie Fourneyron at the end of February, after initial discussions dating from 2013. A letter was sent on May, 13th, 2013 to raise awareness about the need to apply the rules of cortisol controls to all teams, members or non-members of MPCC, on every competition taking place in France. The French Ministry of Sports had answered on June, 27th 2013, but since then no decision was taken. That’s why MPCC returned to Mrs. Fourneyron to invite her to reconsider these proposals, which also include the prohibition of Tramadol in competition and the need to make a formal request to the World Anti-Doping Agency for this product to be written on the list of banned products.
“It would be logical to see all the teams taking part to a competition, being controlled in the same manner and medically monitored externally.”
This letter was sent to the French Ministry of Sports on February, 25th. Since 2008, MPCC has performed blood tests to check cortisol levels of riders, whose teams are members of the movement, in collaboration with the French Cycling Federation and the National League of Cycling. It is a public health problem with occupational risks for employees of companies exercising regularly or temporarily on French territory : MPCC members are not pleased with the response that was made to them, feeling not being heard.
“In the context of health, we do think it is possible to integrate the parameter of cortisol in samples that you will make on the French territory”, writes MPCC in this letter. “It would be logical to see all the teams taking part to a competition, being controlled in the same manner and medically monitored externally.” Now MPCC expects actions from the French Ministry of Sports in order to promote equity among teams and to participate in restoring credibility to cycling.