UCI to refuse Astana WorldTour licence for 2015 ......

['Dale]

Apparently decision postponed. Nothing official yet, just rumors.

Europcar is also in waiting then, I guess

[Christie]

Astana license granted. I suppose they are going to give LA's titles back next.

[jcza]

Europcar is also in waiting then, I guess

Europcar denied licence due to financial reasons

[ScottCM]

Astana Pro Team has been awarded a WorldTour licence for 2015 following extended deliberation by the UCI’s Licence Commission.

"Astana Pro Team is happy and proud to announce that we have received a 2015 World Tour License and will race at the highest level of the sport in the upcoming season," a statement on the team's website read. "Thanks to riders, staff, family, sponsors, friends and fans for your support."

While the Licence Commission has ratified Astana’s registration for 2015, it will be subjected to an independent audit and forced to adhere to stricter operational requirements for the coming season. 

UCI president Brian Cookson stated, “The case of the Astana Pro Team ... remains a very serious situation for our sport given the number of doping cases. We shall be following the situation very closely and are awaiting to review the results of the audit. Meanwhile, the team will have to comply with the two requirements imposed by the Licence Commission. The combined effect of this is that the Astana Pro Team can be considered very much to be on probation. "

Cookson said earlier that the report from the UCI Licence Commission came before it received the new allegations by an Italian investigation which accused the team of systematic doping. The statement by the commission confirmed this. “For the time being, the elements of this procedure are unknown to the UCI and the Licence Commission and no consequence can be drawn in this case at hand. The UCI would call upon the Commission if evidence against the Team is established.”

Should the team incur any more doping positives, if the audit reveals any "deficiencies or in case of faulty implementation of the internal operational requirements", or if the UCI confirms the offences brought in the Padova case, it "would prompt a referral to the Licence Commission to envisage, if necessary, the withdrawal of the licence."

The Licence Commission was asked to review Astana's WorldTour status after the two EPO positives of brothers Valentin and Maxim Iglinskiy, and the steroid positive of trainee Ilya Davidenok this year.

Of the doping cases, the commission stated that Astana's current system of fighting doping has "defaulted", but indicated it agreed to change aspects of the team to strengthen its anti-doping efforts.

"[The team] has initiated a reorganisation of all the support personnel of its riders in order to strengthen its fight against doping within the team to ensure greater prevention and repression," the commission wrote.  “In view of the heavy and repeated doping cases, which occurred within the Team, it is therefore essential to monitor the implementation of such measures on the ground.”

Astana agreed to be audited by the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne, which will "determine whether and to what extent the team and or/its management is responsible of the recent events". The Astana-funded audit will assess the team's internal structures, culture and management systems.

The team has also been volunteered to adhere to the strict standards proposed for the 2017 WorldTour, joining eight other teams in testing out the operational requirements.

Today, a new report was made public by Gazzetta dello Sport which lists 38 riders linked to Ferrari, only three of which were on the 2014 Astana team. 10 of the riders had past links to the team.

Team manager Alexandre Vinokourov, who himself served a ban for illegal blood transfusions detected during the 2007 Tour de France, was accused of working with banned doping doctor Michele Ferrari, and referring riders to the Italian in 2010. Astana have implicated in a number of other scandals in their eight years.

Italian website Tuttobiciweb got reaction from Astana directeur sportif Giuseppe Martinelli, who is with the team in Calpe.

“We've been through some really difficult moments and the last few days haven't been easy because there was obviously a lot of tension amongst the guys. Now finally the expected news has arrived. And now we can finally concentrate on getting ready for a great season. That's the only thing that matters,” he said. “And now, if you don’t mind, I have to leave you: my boys are waiting for me…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There goes your credibility Cookson.

[Nibali]

This was probably a great opportunity to take a hard stance against doping, but for me the great news is that Nibali is safe for 2015. Hopefully he moves after next season and then they can go all-out crazy on Astana

[scooby15]

Cookson and the UCI failed their first big test....same old UCI

[ScottCM]

This was probably a great opportunity to take a hard stance against doping, but for me the great news is that Nibali is safe for 2015. Hopefully he moves after next season and then they can go all-out crazy on Astana

 

 

Cookson and the UCI failed their first big test....same old UCI

 

Cookson McQuaid what's the difference

[jcza]

My understanding is that UCI did not take Italian report into account and didn't have much option. Not granting the licence would have led to a case at CAS and would be a waste of money as Astana will probably win it. As it stands now UCI can always suspend them at a later date after reviewing report and/or other evidence.

 

Enjoy the racing

[NotSoBigBen]

http://inrng.com/2014/12/astana-uci-licence/

 

An unpopular decision but inevitable under the current system. It doesn’t make it right morally but the UCI can only deal with the rules it has and this is a lot safer than making up the process as it goes along – Malaysian nominations anyone? – only to be forced to repent at leisure and cost upon appeal.

[Brickleberry]

So they know they been doping and they still allowed to race? Hmm anyone still think the pro peloton is clean?

[Andrew Steer]

Spot on BigBen and jcza... would love for the UCI to have sent them packing, but sadly red tape as always clutters matters. Now it just remains to be seen if Astana can "walk the line"

 

Hopefully not, as for me, they will never have any credibility - Vino's still as unrepentant as the day they bust him! 

['Dale]

Europcar denied licence due to financial reasons

Apparently they had a remaining 10% to squire but couldn't fill the gap

They can still crack the nod in the TdF though - just not the regular tongue wagging Voeckler and elegant Rolland on the World Tour

[TALUS]

Apparently they had a remaining 10% to squire but couldn't fill the gap

They can still crack the nod in the TdF though - just not the regular tongue wagging Voeckler and elegant Rolland on the World Tour

Pity. The possibility of seeing Dan from Nam a bit more.

[andydude]

My understanding is that UCI did not take Italian report into account and didn't have much option. Not granting the licence would have led to a case at CAS and would be a waste of money as Astana will probably win it. As it stands now UCI can always suspend them at a later date after reviewing report and/or other evidence.

 

Enjoy the racing

 

When you really stand for a principle, you fight for it! Even if CAS overrules it, it would've send the right signals from UCI's side.

 

The more things change the more they stay the same...

 

At least we can still enjoy riding our biks! Although my riding has somewhat stopped.

['Dale]

Pity. The possibility of seeing Dan from Nam a bit more.

Eish!

Forgot about beard man Dan

[T-Bob]

Shame, toothless tigers yet again. Red tape or not if you own the house then you make the house rules. No point crying 'we'd like to have changed it but it's the rules' after an event. Surely there is a rule some where in the licence that simply says '3 positives in a year... you're gone'. Teams know their riders inside and out and if they don't they should because it's in their interest. 

 

Thanks should go to the press for investigating and letting the world know. I'm sure they get a lot wrong but in this case they did well. Pro cycling turned a corner? Not looking at the full list of riders they are very much around. 

 

Astana was riddled and is now showing to be riddled again. Vino as the head makes it a red rag to a bull anyway. It's recent history is shocking. I still remember watching him take the gold in London thinking that is was one last role for the doctor and a disgrace. 

Pro cycling groups are obsessed about making better business models for all teams. A clean sport will do that. Germany hasn't bothered with the sport for years because of it and it's not broadcast. This year they are showing interest, a big market and boom... 

** just as a note. Before I get flamed I am and have been one of the biggest believers that pro cycling can function clean. Generally a optimist for the sport and the step made but if you can't have leadership from the top then you're failing. Remember when ASO tried to stop Katusha from riding the tour because of their doping issues and couldn't do it?