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London 2012 anti-doping lab (picture credit LOCOG)Astana sacks Valentin Iglinskiy after he admits doping
Astana has moved quickly to sack its rider Valentin Iglinskiy after the 30-year-old confessed to doping following notification by the UCI that he had tested positive for EPO from a sample taken during last month’s Eneco Tour.
In a statement issued shortly after the UCI announced the positive test, the team’s management said it had taken “direct and immediate action to release the rider from his contract” after Iglinskiy “admitted to using prohibited substances on his own initiative and independently, without any consultation from the Astana Pro Team staff.”
The Kazakh team’s statement added: “In its wish for full transparency, Astana Pro Team has refused to defend a rider who failed to respect the rules and ethics as stipulated in his contract and who has failed to behave in a manner consistent with other riders in his team and within professional cycling.
It concluded: “With the immediate expulsion of Valentin Iglinskiy, the management and staff at Astana Pro Team confirm our commitment to clean cycling without doping.”
The sacked rider is the younger brother of his team mate, Maxim Iglinskiy, winner of Liège–Bastogne–Liège in 2012 and who this July (unlike Valentin) rode in support of Vincenzo Nibali as the Italian won the Tour de France. The UCI said earlier this month that none of the samples taken on that race had tested positive.
Astana is a member of the Movement For Credible Cycling, formed in July 2007 ny several teams after doping scandals again engulfed the Tour de France.
The biggest of those involved the Kazakh outfit’s Alexandre Vinokourov, who would serve a ban and return to ride for it, and is now the team’s manager.
Thrown off the 2007 Tour, Astana wasn’t a founding member of MPCC, instead joining it ahead of the 2015 season.
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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10 comments
Astana knew nothing, Astana didn't help him dope... Hahaha, joke of the week!
To perform at the highest level currently expected, riders must dope - the teams know this, but hide behind clauses in the rider's contract. Until full recognition of the reality of doping in top level pro sport (esp cycling) is out in the open, and debated thoroughly by all stakeholders, the situation will not change. In a situation like this, the rider is a victim of circumstance - dope or lose (lose race or lose contract at renewal time). Instead, the UCI, and most commentators, will have you believe that doping started and ended with the Satan Armstrong, and now he's been discredited all is well (apart from a few bad apples who worship at his alter). Absolute bullshit!
There doesn't seem to be any comment from the team management to assure that they're doing anything to ensure it was a one off case, more just keeping him at arms length.
Explains a lot.
Nibali's Tour de France was basically not credible, no off or tired days, constants attacks on the mountains...sorry, not having it.
Good old Vino at the head.
EPO isn't generally an individual thing, it's a team culture.
All IMHO of course.
I'm afraid I dont believe a thing Astana say.
I wonder if Valentin will be 'looked after' despite no longer having a contract with them.
Quick, Maxim. Just say you had a load to drink the night before. 33 units or thereabouts.
Sniff, sniff...
Astana is lying...yea. And all the others who are doping and micro-dosing aren't lying...
STFU you Mary's
Seriously??? The team is run by one of the biggest blood dopers ever!!
“admitted to using prohibited substances on his own initiative and independently, without any consultation from the Astana Pro Team staff.” Really - I don't believe a word Astana says, run as they are by one of the most unrepentant dopers out there!?!?!?