Velo Club Metz in Metz, France. Morris informed Metz of Kelly's potential. In August 1975, Alain Steinhoff, a member of the Metz club, travelled to the World Championships in Belgium, where Kelly was competing in the amateur road race. Steinhoff offered Kelly a place on the amateur team V. C Metz-Woippy. Kelly assured Steinhoff that he would consider the offer and promised to contact the club sometime during the following winter. Club Metz heard nothing from Kelly during the winter because his focus of attention shifted to competing in the Rapport Toer stage race in South Africa as preparation for the 1976 Olympic Games. In late September 1975, Kelly and two other Irish riders, Pat and Kieron McQuaid went to South Africa to participate in the Rapport Toer stage race in preparation for the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada. Because of an international ban on athletes competing in South Africa, as a consequence of a protest against apartheid, the three Irish cyclists and two Scottish, John Curran and Henry Wilbraham, competed as a British team under false names. The squad were called "Mum for Men" and managed by Tommy Shardelow. When the Irish Cycling Federation received news of their escapades in South Africa, both Kelly and the McQuaid's, incurred a seven-month suspension from racing. After an appeal, the length of the imposition became six months. Sean, Pat and Kieron returned to competitive racing at the end of April 1976. After resuming racing, Kelly won the Tour of the North in Ulster, Ireland and the Cinturón a Mallorca in Mallorca, Spain. He also won one stage at the 1976 Tour of Britain and one at the 1976 Tour of Ireland. On 29 May 1976, Kelly, Pat and Kieron McQuaid, as a consequence of their participation in the Rapport Toer in South Africa, were barred from the 1976 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee. It's misinformation that the ban from the Olympics was for life. With the dream of competing at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal now shattered, Kelly suddenly required an alternative plan for the rest of the summer to fill the gut-wrenching void. He cast his mind back to Velo Club Metz's interest in August 1975 and penned a short letter to them asking what they could offer. He received a swift reply, offering free accommodation, £25 per week and free replacements for cycling equipment impaired during