Orica GreenEdge set to join MPCC?

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Orica GreenEdge general manager Shayne Bannan, along with chief medical officer Dr Peter Barnes will attend the next meeting of the Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) with the organisation granting provisional membership for the time being.

A vote will take place at the next meeting of the MPCC on February 7 to confirm Orica GreenEdge's membership.

The move comes after the anti-doping group prematurely announced that GreenEdge had signed on in mid-March of last year. Bannan at that stage had attended meetings with the MPCC on the team's behalf.

Orica GreenEdge is currently holding an independent review into its anti-doping policies, headed by former WADA director Nicki Vance. When contacted by Cyclingnews this morning, Vance would not comment on the team's dealings with the MPCC as she had not been involved in any plans to join the group. Vance's initial findings are expected to be released in April.

Founded in 2007, the MPCC imposes stricter anti-doping measures on its members that go beyond the World Anti-Doping Agency Code, including additional testing to combat the use of corticosteroids. Member teams also do not allow their riders to race while they await decisions regarding anti-doping procedures.

Its current WorldTour members are AG2R La Mondiale, Argos-Shimano, FDJ, Garmin-Sharp and Lotto Belisol.

Other teams with provisional membership which will be voted on at next month's meeting include Astana, Katusha, Lampre-Merida, Blanco, Crelan-Euphony, Bardiani-CSF, La Pomme Marseille, Big Mat-Auber 93 and Novo Nordisk.

Late last year, the race organizers' association AIOCC decided it would give MPCC members priority in the allocation of wild card invitations to their events.