Ilkhan Dostiyev has confessed to doping after he was caught with CERA, a variant of EPO. His team Astana Qazaqstan Development terminated the rider’s contract immediately after his confession.
Dostiyev tested positive during an out-of-competition test on July 30, 2024. The rider subsequently confessed to doping.
“The news came as a shock and disappointment to us,” Astana Qazaqstan Development responded through team manager Alexandr Shushemoin on the team website. “We trusted Ilkhan Dostiyev as one of our leaders and had high expectations of him, expectations that have now been completely shattered.”
“After receiving the information, we immediately contacted the rider and demanded a statement, which Dostiyev also provided. He also indicated that he wanted to fully cooperate with the UCI and anti-doping authorities. I can say with absolute certainty that Astana Qazaqstan Development has no connection with this incident. Our team has a ‘zero tolerance’ policy. We are constantly working with our riders and doing our best to make them understand not only the consequences of doping, but also the absurdity of attempting to violate doping rules.”
“Given that Dostiyev has admitted to the anti-doping violation, the rider has been suspended from racing, and his contract has been immediately terminated. We are now cooperating fully and openly with all organizations involved to clarify all the details of what happened,” Shushemoin concluded.
