Yates Quits Cycling, No Link with Armstrong say Team Sky

Sky Procycling rider and leader's yellow jersey Bradley Wiggins of Britain and Sky Procycling Sport director Sean Yates (L) celebrate with British national flags on the Champs Elysees after the final stage of the 99th Tour de France cycling race in Paris, July 22, 2012. Reuters/Stephane Mahe

Team Sky sports director Sean Yates is retiring from cycling but there is no link between his decision and the team's zero-tolerance anti-doping charter, the British outfit said on Sunday.

"After a long career in professional cycling, he has told us that he wants to move on, for purely personal reasons," Team Sky said in a statement.

"Sean has been interviewed and there were no admissions or disclosures that would have required him to leave the team," Sky said.

In the wake of the Lance Armstrong doping scandal, Team Sky asked every member of the team to sign up to a written policy saying they have no past or present involvement with doping.

The 52-year-old Yates, the 1992 British champion, joined Team Sky in 2009 and led Bradley Wiggins to the Tour de France title this year.

He had been one of Armstrong's sports directors at Discovery Channel in 2005.