RFEC at odds with UCI over GreenEdge “Call Me Maybe” video

Controversy has struck the Orica-GreenEDGE cycling team, as they have become pawns in an ever-growing turf war between the Royal Spanish Cycling Federation (RFEC) and the UCI over the team’s inclusion of Vuelta podium ceremonies when filming their Call Me Maybe music video. The team had included a portion of Simon Clarke’s polka dot jersey presentation in the video, when he gestured at his rider number and used the telephone hand signal, as part of a GreenEdge effort to build team unity.

Cyclismas.com has learned that the UCI sent “cease and desist” letters to the RFEC, stating that the actions were unsanctioned and in violation of the UCI’s cyclist’s code of conduct. The UCI asked the RFEC for immediate retraction of any published videos portraying the hand motions  in any of the racing or podium ceremonies, including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube or “any other social media outlet of evil.”

KoM winner Simon Clarke and Eurosport reporter Laura Meseguer demonstrate the motions deemed “illegal” by the UCI. (Photo courtesy of Laura Meseguer)

“We feel the Call Me Maybe work by the Orica-GreenEDGE team promotes the spirit of teamwork and camaraderie, and shows that the sport of cycling isn’t just about winning at all costs, but also about the joy competition brings. We fail to see the difference between raising arms in victory on the podium or pointing at numbers on the jersey,” stated the joint press release.However, the RFEC and Unipublic, the organiser of the Vuelta, didn’t see where the actions were a violation of any codes – UCI or otherwise – issuing this joint statement via the aforementioned “evil” social media feeds:

The press release further noted that neither the team nor any individuals from the team had experienced any personal profit or sponsorship gain from the arrangement, nor had they made use of the Vuelta trademarks in the filming or playback of the footage.

UCI spokesperson Enrico Carpani stated that the UCI felt differently.

“We have asked for the video files from the RFEC in order for us to conduct our own review to determine if the footage is in violation of UCI rules,” stated Carpani.

Cycling pundits around the globe were rather confused by the request.

“For goodness sake, it’s on YouTube. Does anyone at the UCI know how to use a computer? Seriously, people, I mean, this organization is just becoming a laughing stock of itself,” stated one anonymous pundit who may or may not have been Cycling Weekly journalist Sophie Smith.

UCI president Pat McQuaid was on his pre-Trinidad annual holiday in the Caymans and unavailable for comment. All three UCI vice-presidents were unable to be found for comment, which has been the case since 2005. The UCI also refused to confirm, in fact, if said vice presidents – Hee Wok Cho, Renato di Rocco, and Artur Lopes – had even been consulted at all on the scandal internally referred to as “MaybeGate.”

Orica-GreenEDGE spokesperson Brian Nygaard had this to say about the controversy:

“I’m proud of the work our team did. RFEC has no issue with our work. Unipublic wishes to use our product in future race promotion. And the UCI? It’s business as usual from that particular organisation,” stated Nygaard.

No word yet if the UCI will take this case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. CAS representatives were unable to confirm if they had received any contact from the UCI.