Ukraine in Arabic | Astana retains elite status for 2015

12.12.2014 - 17:45 #Kazakhstan, #status, #Astana, #elite, #ycling, #World Tour license, #ISSUL

In addition, it must adhere from 2015 to the 'internal operational requirements', a set of measures which will be compulsory for all World Tour teams from 2017

KYIV/Ukraine in Arabic/ Cycling team Astana have been awarded a World Tour license for 2015, but will have to meet certain conditions after a number of doping allegations. The sport's governing body says that the team is still "on probation."

However, the UCI president Brian Cookson said the Kazakh-backed team could consider themselves "very much to be on probation", with Astana to be monitored by the Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne (ISSUL). Additionally, Astana will have to adhere to the UCI's 'internal operational requirements', which will become compulsory for all teams in 2017.

Astana broke the news on Wednesday evening ahead of the UCI's official announcement, putting a positive spin on events by saying: "Astana team is happy and proud to announce that we have received a 2015 Tour licence and will race at the highest level of the sport in the upcoming season."

That prompted a deluge of criticism from fans and professionals alike on Twitter. Team Sky rider Peter Kennaugh tweeted: "What a joke this sport can be! The clean riders of the peleton need to get together and push these cheats out enough is enough."

It is understood that the UCI felt unable to remove Astana's WorldTour licence after its attempt to remove Katusha's last year was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

However, a later statement from the UCI made clear that Astana were not in the clear just yet, with the Licence Commission finding that "the organisation of the fight against doping and the support personnel of the riders in place until now by the team has defaulted."

Cookson added: "This remains a very serious situation for our sport given the number of doping cases. 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."

The first condition will see the team independently monitored by ISSUL. The UCI stated that "the ISSUL will look into the circumstances of the doping cases at stake to determine whether and to what extent the team and or/its management is responsible of the recent events.

"Furthermore, it will assess the team's internal structures, culture and management systems to understand whether these are adequate to ensure that the highest ethical standards are upheld."

ISSUL will release a report of its findings in February 2015, with the UCI reinforcing that it will be ready to revoke the licence should the team not meet up to the anti-doping standards that will be assessed.

The day had begun with La Gazzetta dello Sport releasing more evidence from the four-year Padua inquiry which has just been handed over to the Italian Olympic Committee, and which centres on banned doctor Michele Ferrari's links to riders. Gazzetta published a list of 38 names, alleged to have been clients of Ferrari, with as many as 17 belonging to Astana. The report detailed a world of phone taps, bugs hidden in Ferrari's camper van, aliases, disposable SIM cards and VOIP internet communications.

telegraph.co.uk