Andrey Kashechkin suspended by Team Astana for not signing code of conduct
All the professional cycling teams are taking strict actions to ensure they stay doping free especially after the embarrassment and humiliation that Lance Armstrong and his associates brought to their teams.
It is mandatory for all the riders to sign a document, the doping code of conduct, agreeing with the team’s new tightened doping policy.
The management is not afraid of terminating contracts of any cyclists who refuse or hesitate to agree with the policy.
Recent termination of Andrey Kashechkin by his side, Team Astana is an example of how severe the team’s stance is on the doping issue.
The 32-year-old is included in the team’s roster for the season ahead after he joined the team in 2011 but he will only be allowed to participate after he agrees with the team anti-doping policy by signing the paper.
“Effective immediately, for failure to agree to the squad's internal regulations. The Kazakhstan rider remains on the 2013 team roster, but cannot be included in race calendar submissions until his signature is received on Pro Team Astana's internal
Code of Conduct,” the team stated.
“Neither the doping practices nor the environment that served to enable them can ever be allowed to happen again”.
“We share the MPCC's belief that riders, managers and sponsors in professional cycling have the obligation and capacity to say no to doping, and call on the UCI to recognize the MPCC as a viable intermediary among teams, organizers and Cycling Federations,” it
concluded.
Kashechkin started his professional crusade with Team Domo-Farm Frites in 2001 and spent a period of two years with the side before joining Team Quick-Davitamon in 2003
Kashechkin stayed with Team Credit Agricole for two years (2004-05) and spent a year each with Team Liberty Seguros-Wurth (2006), Team Astana (2007) before switching to Team Astana for 2010-11.
The cyclist helped the team with several top-notch performances in the past two seasons and will only be able to continue his professional hunt with the team if he decides to sign the doping code of conduct.
Team Astana bagged a total amount of 645 UCI points during the 2012 season and claimed the tenth overall position at the UCI World Tour teams rankings with Roman Kreuziger (189 points), Enrico Gasparotto (150 points), Janez Brajkovic (106 points),
Maxim Iglinsky (100 points) making the major contributions.
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