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Brian Cookson: Astana decision due today or tomorrow

UCI chief tells Gazzetta dello Sport that report on Kazakh team will take account of alleged Michele Ferrari links

UCI president Brian Cookson says that a decision on Astana’s WorldTour licence will be made “today or tomorrow.” He also confirmed that the Licence Commission compiling a report on the Kazakh team would take into account allegations that banned doctor Michele Ferrari was present at an Astana training camp last year.

Speaking to Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport, Cookson said: “The decision on Astana will arrive today or tomorrow. Our commission tasked with the report has gathered all the evidence.” He confirmed that would include information gathered in Italy.

Yesterday, the Italian sports daily reported that a file compiled by public prosecutors in Padua and passed to the Italian Olympic Committee, CONI, included photographs alleged to be of Ferrari speaking with Astana riders at a training camp in Tuscany in November 2013.

Ferrari, who helped Lance Armstrong cheat his way to seven successive Tour de France victories and is now banned from involvement in sport for life, rejected claims he had attended that training camp at Montecatini Terme as “media bullshit.”

Regarding those allegations, Cookson said: “CONI has sent us some documentation, we have acquired the information that has appeared in recent days in the Italian press, and we have also received assistance from magistrates,” the latter presumably a reference to the Padua investigation.”

Cookson was asked if, in the case Astana were not granted a WorldTour licence for 2015, race organisers could still invite Astana to the Giro d’Italia or Tour de France, the latter won this year by the team’s rider Vincenzo Nibali.

The newspaper reports that he seemed about to give a negative response before reflecting then giving a more considered reply, saying: "I don’t want to talk about it until an official decision has been made.”

Astana’s licence is being reviewed following a succession of doping cases in recent months involving two riders from its WorldTour team, and three from its under-23 development squad, with the Licence Commission investigating its management and anti-doping policies.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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12 comments

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Rupert | 9 years ago
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Time to follow Mr Cookson on Twitter to wait for his wise words on the whole case. Hope we don't have to wait too long.

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Gasman Jim | 9 years ago
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Does make one wonder what they would have to do to get thrown out! I reckon if Vino crapped in BC's shoes the UCI would excuse it as "high jinks" and ask him to try to not do it again.

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Kadinkski | 9 years ago
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Not sure why this site hasn't reported it yet, but it's all good. Astana are fine. Nothing wrong with cycling. Why is everyone getting all het up? Lets just carry on, oh, but rest assured - we'll continue to 'look at the situation' as Astana continue on their merry fucking way.

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antonio | 9 years ago
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With Astana's boss there's not a hope,
that cyclists there will not dope,
cycling clean is what it's about,
so move it UCI and kick them out!

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mrmo replied to antonio | 9 years ago
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antonio wrote:

With Astana's boss there's not a hope,
that cyclists there will not dope,
cycling clean is what it's about,
so move it UCI and kick them out!

Astana goes to CAS then gets reinstated.... cf Katusha.

If this is going to stick the UCI needs a completely water tight case, no way for Astana to appeal.

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Shades | 9 years ago
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Given the current doping allegations in athletics, surely this is cycling's opportunity to really establish it's credibility?

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TeamExtreme | 9 years ago
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The UCI have requested the Padua documents from CONI and are taking them into consideration apparently:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/news/uci-requests-coni-documents-...

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DrJDog | 9 years ago
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Has anyone seen this Ferrari evidence? Photos? How can they take it into account?

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Kadinkski | 9 years ago
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I quite like Cookson. He loves cycling and he knows there is a lot of trust that has to be rebuilt so I would expect him to do the right thing with the Astana filth.

The problem is he is very much a 'consensus' type leader, and if he doesn't get that consensus I'm worried they will come up with some pathetic middle-of-the-road punishment that ultimately sees them retain their license.

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Vili Er | 9 years ago
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It's not going to happen. I want them to have the balls but it won't happen. Dirty team gets slap on wrist.

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truffy | 9 years ago
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Or even weak-kneed inaction!

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antonio | 9 years ago
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Please please please, no weak kneed action!

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