Astana ProTeam fires Valentin Iglinsky for doping

Kazakh cyclist of Astana Proteam Valentin Iglinsky has been fired by Kazakhstan's UCI ProTour team Astana after his test for erythropoietin (EPO) returned positive, Tengrinews reports citing Vesti.kz.

Erythropoietin is a banned blood-booster, a blood doping agent that improves oxygen delivery to muscles, and consequently, increases the athlete’s endurance.

On Wednesday, the International Cycling Union (UCI), the world governing body for cycling, notified the rider about the presence of EPO in the sample collected during the last month's Eneco Tour.

The Kazakh athlete admitted using the forbidden substances "independently from his team and without consulting Astana ProTeam staff".

Following the announcement, the team immediately terminated the contract with the cyclist.

Astana is a member of the Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC) and  maintains a strict doping policy. 

Astana ProTeam management refused to defend their rider calling his actions a failure to respect the rules of his contract that behave "in a manner consistent with other riders in his team and within professional cycling". They explained that it was a "wish of full transparency" and a way to "confirm our commitment to clean cycling without doping”. 

According to UCI Anti-Doping Rules, Valentin Iglinsky will be suspended until the adjudication of the case.

Valentin Iglinsky, 30, was part of Astana ProTeam between 2009 and 2012. Then he joined French Ag2r-La Mandiake in 2013 and returned to the Astana team in 2014. Valentin has won the Tour of Hainan twice and a stage at the 2011 Tour of Turkey.

He is the younger brother of Maxim Iglinsky, who rides for the Astana team.

Writing by Assel Satubaldina, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina