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Astana claim to have been granted 2015 licence by UCI

Kazakhstan squad’s status was under scrutiny after a number of positive doping tests

Astana team rider Vincenzo Nibali of Italy on his way to winning the 2014 Tour de France. Photograph: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters
Astana team rider Vincenzo Nibali of Italy on his way to winning the 2014 Tour de France. Photograph: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters
Wed Dec 10 2014 - 21:31

Astana says it has been granted a UCI World Tour licence for 2015 by cycling's world governing body, despite doping infringements.

The Kazakhstan squad's status was under scrutiny after a number of positive doping tests within its team and its feeder squad.

Astana, whose lead rider Vincenzo Nibali won the 2014 Tour de France, wrote on Twitter: "Astana Pro Team has received a 2015 UCI World Tour license."

The team added on its website: “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.

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“Thanks to riders, staff, family, sponsors, friends and fans for your support.”

Only on Tuesday, it emerged that the International Cycling Union has asked to see legal documents from an Italian magistrate following allegations that riders from the Astana team were visited by notorious doping doctor Michele Ferrari.

UCI president Brian Cookson described the allegations as “very serious” and has asked the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) to provide a copy of the file.

It seemingly put another question mark against whether the Astana team would be granted a racing licence.

According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari visited the team in November 2013 despite having been banned for life. Ferrari has denied any involvement, writing on his training website, www.53x12.com, that the newspaper claims are “absolutely FALSE”.

Cookson, in Monaco for the International Olympic Committee session, said: “This is a relatively new development. We were aware that there were investigations going on.

“It sounds very serious and we understand the file has been sent by the magistrate to CONI, and we have been in touch with CONI to share that information with us.

“At the moment that will not have been taken into account by the licensing commission so that’s new. We need to see the evidence, we can’t take action based on a newspaper report.

“We will take a decision in good time, through due process, and I think it’s really important when you make decisions of a really serious nature that you do it with everything in the right order with the right legal support and also the support of Wada.”

Last Thursday, the UCI announced it had approved licences for 16 teams. It delayed decisions until this week on Team Europcar and, most notably, the Astana team.