Cycling's world governing body has requested that Astana's 2015 World Tour license is withdrawn following the outcome of an audit into doping allegations surrounding the team. 

A statement from the International Cycling Union (UCI) on Friday read: "The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) today confirms that it has now reviewed the audit produced by the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne (ISSUL) (1) on Astana Pro Team and its anti-doping culture, policies, structures and management systems. 

"The audit was one of the conditions attached to the registration of the team in the 2015 UCI WorldTour. 

"After careful review of this extensive report, the UCI strongly believes that it contains compelling grounds to refer the matter to the Licence Commission and request the Astana Pro Team licence be withdrawn.

"The UCI considers that the ISSUL audit has, among other things, revealed a big difference between the policies and structures that the team presented to the Licence Commission in December and the reality on the ground.

"In addition, the Italian authorities have provided the UCI with the sections of the Padova investigation which it has been authorized to share. As some evidence concerns Astana Pro Team members, the file has been passed to the Licence Commission as part of this referral. . 

"For the sake of due process, the UCI is not in a position to comment further on the content of the audit report, nor the Padova investigation, until the Licence Commission has assessed the situation and rendered its decision. 

"But this decision to refer the matter to the Licence Commission was reached taking all circumstances and potential consequences into consideration. 

"The UCI will not make any further comment until the Licence Commission has rendered its decision."