UCI president Brian Cookson has stated to the press that he is disappointed with the series of positive doping tests from Astana and that it might have serious effects on the future of the Kazakh team. The positive tests came from the Iglinsky brothers and Ilya Davidenok.

“It’s safe to say that everyone was very disappointed by this turn of events,” Cookson told VeloNews Friday. “But if we assume that there have been three cases, that’s something that’s obviously very, very serious and that’s why we’ve referred it to the licensing commission, asking them to look into all the issues around that and make recommendations as to what impact these issues should have on the license of Astana. That’s the right and proper process. That’s what the license commission was established to do, and we’re going to let them get on with their job now.”

According to the president the criteria are very clear. And it might damage the team that it hasn’t been the team with least positive doping tests in the past.

“If you look at the regulations around the WorldTour and WorldTour teams … the process is reasonably clear. It’s down the licensing commission to make an annual assessment of the various criteria which are taken into account when teams first register. And ethical criteria is one of them, and clearly doping is a matter of ethics, and if a team has committed a series of offenses, or its riders have committed a series of offenses, then … that has to be taken into account,” he said.

“We’re in the offseason now as it were. I think it’s important we review these matters in a timely fashion. That’s the process, you know? It’s not down to the whim of me or any other individual in the UCI to drag the team over the coals.”

Brian Cookson says the effects after the positive tests might turn out to be quite serious.

“The impact on the team could be quite serious. I don’t want to say any more than that at this stage, because it’s ongoing,” Cookson said.