The Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) "wants the sport's licencing commission to strip" the Astana team of its elite status after an investigation into doping, according to Julian Linden of REUTERS. Kazakhstan-based Astana, whose team includes Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali, was only granted its World Tour license for '15 "under probation." But the UCI released a statement saying that "it wanted the licence withdrawn after finishing a review of an audit on the Astana team" which was undertaken by the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne. The statement said, "After careful review of this extensive report, the UCI strongly believes that it contains compelling grounds to refer the matter to the Licence Commission and request the Astana Pro Team licence be withdrawn." The UCI said, "The UCI considers that the ISSUL audit has, among other things, revealed a big difference between the policies and structures that the team presented to the Licence Commission in December and the reality on the ground" (REUTERS, 2/27). In London, William Fotheringham wrote Astana’s future "is in the hands" of the UCI license commission, a four-man panel headed by the former Swiss supreme court judge Pierre Zappelli. They "will look at the findings of the audit commissioned into Astana in December and examine evidence from the Padua doping inquiry in which Astana team members are mentioned." For the moment, Astaba "will continue to race." If the license commission rules against it, however, and the verdict is upheld in the face of any legal challenge, then it "will be out in the cold" (GUARDIAN, 2/27). VELO NEWS reported if Astana is denied a Pro Team license, "it could potentially receive a UCI Pro Continental license, meaning the team may still be able to compete at many major races -- just without a guarantee to participate in all WorldTour events, such as the sport’s three grand tours." In an official statement, the team said, "Astana Pro Team will consult with its attorneys to prepare documents and testimony before the Independent License Commission" (VELO NEWS, 2/27).
