The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has notified the Astana Pro Cycling team that its rider, Victor Okishev, reported an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for androgenic steroids. In a 19 November statement, the UCI said that the AAF came from a sample collected at the Asian Cycling Championship on 29 May.

Anabolic androgenic steroids are prohibited under section S1 of the 2014 Prohibited List. In accordance with UCI anti-doping rules, Okishev has been suspended ‘until adjudication of the affair’. The Kazakh rider has the right to request analysis of the B sample, however the Astana Pro Team has yet to comment.

On 16 October, the UCI asked its Licence Commission to undertake a review of the management and anti-doping policies of the Astana Pro Team, after three of its riders reported doping infractions during a short time period. Astana suspended itself from competition following the rules of the Mouvement Pour Cyclisme Crédible, which it joined in 2013. As such, it will face a fine for breaching UCI rules requiring World Tour teams to participate in all events.

• Kazakhstan Cycling pledged to introduce biometric passport monitoring from 2015, which will apply to all Kazakhstan’s domestic cyclists from Continental Team Astana, Vino 4ever, Track Team Astana, and also Astana Pro Team while on Kazakh soil.