Astana free to race on after UCI ruling

The Astana Pro Team will retain their race licence, despite a series of doping offences involving the team in recent years.

Astana’s current line-up includes Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali, but the International Cycling Union (UCI) had asked for the team’s licence to be revoked in February.

This followed an independent audit into the team's procedures, which came after a number of anti-doping infringements by Astana and their feeder team.

However, following talks between Astana and UCI lawyers in Geneva, a deal has now been struck that will allow the team keep their licence, subject to the continuous scrutiny of anti-doping measures by the University of Lausanne.

“As part of the proceedings following the request for withdrawal of the Astana Pro Team’s licence, the Licence Commission held a hearing in the presence of representatives of Astana Pro Team, representatives of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and representatives of the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne (ISSUL),” read a statement on the UCI’s official website.

“On the initiative of the Licence Commission, ISSUL were asked to propose special measures which the team will be obliged to put in place at specific times over the rest of this season.

“The team committed to respecting all the measures recommended by ISSUL.

“At the end of the hearing, the Licence Commission announced the suspension of the proceedings.

“In the meantime, the registration for the 2015 season remains in force. However, the Team’s licence is subject to strict monitoring of the conditions laid down. This monitoring will be carried out on the basis of reports transmitted by ISSUL to the Licence Commission.

“The Licence Commission shall be able to re-open the proceedings if Astana Pro Team fails to respect one or several of the conditions imposed, or if new elements arise."

When Astana were awarded their 2015 licence in December, conditions were attached after five riders linked to the team failed doping tests in 2014.

Brothers Maxim and Valentin Iglinskiy, trainee Ilya Davidenok and two members of Astana's continental development team, Artur Fedosseyev and Victor Okishev, were the riders involved.

There was never any suggestion of wrong-doing on the part of Nibali.

Astana were forced to submit to an audit from ISSUL as a condition of their licence and at its conclusion, the UCI asked for their licence to be revoked, claiming the reality of the team's policies and structures clearly differed from what Astana told the licence commission during a review last December.

The Kazakh-based team had previously said they would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport if the licence was revoked.

Astana issued a statement on Thursday night which read: "Astana Pro Team is grateful to the Licence Commission for the opportunity to present the team's commitment to observing the UCI's ethical criteria.

"Astana Pro Team is committed to respecting all measures recommended by ISSUL, and to collaborate in the implementation of further measures that enhance our procedures above and beyond the UCI's minimum requirements.

"Our focus now returns to racing."