Cycling News Flash for June 22, 2006

Edited by Jeff Jones

Astana-Würth OK for ProTour licence

The UCI has announced that the new sponsorship of the Astana-Würth team is permissible - for now. The team's ProTour licence came under scrutiny after main sponsor Liberty Seguros withdrew in the wake of the Operacion Puerto doping affair. A new sponsor was found very quickly: the Kazakhstani concern, Astana, but the UCI's ProTour Council (UPTC) wished to review it in light of the ethical issues raised by the Spanish investigation.

In a statement, the UCI said that the president of the UPTC had sent a file with all the information it had on the case to the Licence Commission: "On the basis of documents currently available, the Licence Commission has informed the UCI ProTour Council President that it cannot, to this day, take any decision as to the fate of UCI ProTour licences of teams affected by this case. The Licence Commission has confirmed that it is however ready to intervene at any moment should new information be submitted."

The team's financial state has been cleared by the UCI's accountants Ernst&Young, and the UPTC "has approved the new denomination of the 'Astana - Würth Team'. The UCI would also like to note that it is still waiting for information to be provided by the Spanish authorities to open, if necessary, disciplinary procedure as foreseen by the regulations regarding riders and other persons involved in this matter."

Cyclingnews' recent coverage of 'Operación Puerto'

May 18, 2009 - Valverde to start Catalunya
May 15, 2009 - Valverde not welcome in Denmark
May 14, 2009 - Spanish federation wants proof in Valverde case
May 13, 2009 - Spanish Olympic Committee defends Valverde
May 12, 2009 - Valverde responds to sanction
May 11, 2009 - Italian tribunal delivers Valverde two-year suspension
May 8, 2009 - Valverde case: Italian Olympic Committee defends Torri
May 7, 2009 - Valverde to take legal action against CONI prosecutor
May 5, 2009 - WADA and Spanish federation join CONI and UCI on Valverde
May 1, 2009 - International Cycling Union joins in on Valverde's hearing in Italy

Cyclingnews' complete coverage of Operación Puerto

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