Cycling's world governing body has requested the withdrawal of the Astana team licence.

The UCI announced the dramatic move on Friday after receiving an audit of the controversial Kazakhstan-based team.

Doping scandals have plagued the team and its associates.

Astana's main rider is reigning Tour de France champion Vincenzo Nibali, who is not one of the riders implicated in doping.

There was uproar in the sport last November when the UCI granted Astana the WorldTour licence, subject to the audit.

"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it contains compelling grounds to refer the matter to the Licence Commission and request the Astana Pro Team licence be withdrawn," the cycling body said in its statement.

"The UCI considers that the ... 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."

The audit was conducted by the Institute of Sport Sciences of the University of Lausanne.

The UCI added it had received sections of an Italian anti-doping investigation.

"As some evidence concerns Astana Pro Team members, the file has been passed to the Licence Commission as part of this referral," the UCI statement said.