Vinokourov resigns from ambassador role in Almaty 2022 Olympic bid

Alexander Vinokourov has resigned from his role in Almaty’s 2022 Winter Olympics bid, according to reports.

The London 2012 gold medallist and Astana team manager was listed as an ambassador on the bid’s website, but has since been removed, with a spokesperson telling insidethegames that he was only part of the application phase.

Almaty 2022 bid vice-chairman Andrey Kryukov told the website earlier this week that Vinokourov, who served a doping ban after testing positive in 2007, had served his punishment and that they believe in second chances.

Vinokourov’s second chance seems not to have lasted long, however, with his role in the process – a role that was never properly established – coming to an end.

As insidethegames’ Nick Butler writes, however, the Astana manager’s departure shows the Almaty bid’s willingness to adapt and change.

But with the IOC reportedly taking into account Spain and Turkey’s tarnished record with dopers into consideration when awarding the 2020 Summer Games to Tokyo last year, the move could be for the best in Almaty’s bid.

The Kazakh city is in a two-horse race with Beijing to host the 2022 Winter Games, with Krakov, Lviv, Oslo and Stockholm all cancelling their bids before the candidate phase.