UCI investigating Vinokourov Liege 'payoff' claim

PARIS (AFP) –

World cycling governing body the UCI are to investigate claims made by Swiss and Italian newspapers that retired Olympic cycling champion Alexandre Vinokourov, pictured in July 2012, paid off a rival to win his second Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic in 2010.

World cycling governing body the UCI are to investigate claims made by Swiss and Italian newspapers that retired Olympic cycling champion Alexandre Vinokourov paid off a rival to win his second Liege-Bastogne-Liege classic in 2010.

The UCI – under pressure to clean up the image of the sport in the wake of the Lance Armstrong affair – said it had summoned both riders to Switzerland “to explain themselves regarding the events concerning them.”

The body, which faces a 2million dollar claim for damages from an Australian clothing firm over allegations the organisation failed to crack down on doping, also told AFP it had received a dossier on the matter from the Italian state prosecutor’s office in Padua.

UCI said it would assess any information to which it was privy on the matter “constructively and transparently” in order to “safeguard the integrity of the sport.”

Vinokourov, banned for blood doping in 2007-2009, faces claims he paid Russian rival Alexandre Kolobnev 150,000 euros to secure his second victory in cycling’s oldest one-day classic.

The initial accusations were made by Swiss magazine L’Illustre last year – since when UCI says it has been looking into the affair.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera followed up this week as it published emails between the riders which appears to support the accusations.

A first email sent from Kolobnev to Vinokourov the day after the race allegedly reads: “I don’t know if I did the right thing. I didn’t do it for the contract (money) but out of respect for you and for the situation you were in.

“Even my wife was disappointed I finished second.”

Vinokourov’s second victory in ‘La Doyenne’ – cycling’s oldest one-day classic – was his biggest win since he returned from a doping ban a year earlier.

The same email from Kolobnev, which allegedly contained details of a bank account in Switzerland, adds: “Now I’m waiting patiently. Take my details and delete this email.”

Vinokourov reportedly answered several days later: “Hi Kolobok (Kolobnev’s nickname) I’m sorry I didn’t answer you earlier. Don’t worry, you did the right thing…

“You said yourself that what goes around comes around and God sees everything.

“I will respect our deal. You’ll have to wait a while. Vino.”

The newspaper claims two payments were then made to Kolobnev, the first of 100,000 euros on July 12, 2010 and the second of 50,000 on December 28.

After his Liege win, Vinokourov — when asked about its significance after his doping ban — refused to discuss details of his doping past, telling reporters: “It’s proof you can win without doping.”

Vinokourov, Kazakhstan’s biggest sports star of his generation, stunned the field at the Olympic road race last August to win gold, then announced his retirement from the sport and is set to manage the Astana team next year.