Can Andrey Kashechkin return to Team Astana?
He was banned for two years, is now eligible to race again, and his case is being pushed by a member of the Kazakh Senate in order to try to get him back into the squad.
According to Sport.kz and Nomad.su (via Cyclismag), a MP has challenged the Minister for Sports, Temirkhan Mynaydarovich, over the matter. He has expressed regret that Kasheckin cannot rejoin the team, and has suggested that it is financial matters rather than a question of ethics which is the reason why he is being blocked.
Prior to his suspension, the Kazakh rider had signed a three year deal worth €3,460,492. However, the claim is being made that he has only received 8% of that sum to date, less than he should have received for the six and a half months that he was with the team. The suggestion is that if he rejoins the team, at least some of that money might have to be paid.
However Kashechkin recently sought, and received, a letter from the UCI stating that he is eligible to race. This would appear to pave the way for his path back to the team.
However, like Alexandre Vinokourov, he has also refused to pay the one year’s salary demanded by the UCI as compensation for their positives during the 2007 Tour de France. The two riders and Michael Rasmussen have all appealed this to CAS and, pending the outcome of that hearing, the UCI has been forced to allow them to race.
If they lose the appeal, though, they will be forced to hand over the cash.