Ferrari was banned for life by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) from cycling for his role in doping Lance Armstrong and team-mates at the US Postal team.

The doctor, who has always denied wrongdoing, has also been blacklisted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Astana riders Jakob Fuglsang of Denmark and Kazakhstan's Alexey Lutsenko were the subject of a CADF investigation last year, according to Danish newspaper Politiken, television station DR and Norwegian newspaper VG.

The media outlets published reports based on a commissioned investigation by CADF, which reportedly outlined that there had been evidence Ferrari was present at the 2019 Volta a Catalunya.

Further claims included that Ferrari had met both Fuglsang and Lutsenko during 2019.

Under the WADA Code, athletes could face a two-year ban should it be proved they have worked with a banned coach.

Fuglsang, who won Liege-Bastogne-Liege, the Criterium du Dauphine and a stage of the Vuelta a Espana last year, published a statement denying the allegations.

An identical statement was then published by Lutsenko.

“I contest that I have met with Dr Ferrari,” the statement read.

“I am not aware of any report and I can confirm no procedure has even been opened by competent anti-doping authorities against me.

“Accordingly, I have no case to answer.

“I am extremely concerned that such rumours could be spread out in the media.”

The CADF have since published a statement, with the organisation expressing “deep regret” that the report was leaked.

The foundation added that an investigation was underway into the cause of the leak and confirmed no disciplinary proceedings had taken place.

“In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the WADA International Standard for Testing and Investigations, the CADF investigates any intelligence it receives regarding possible anti-doping rule violations,” CADF said.

“The CADF received information in relation to alleged potential anti-doping rule violations and requested intelligence service provider Sportradar to conduct additional research on the allegations to complete CADF files.

“International cooperation being key to effective anti-doping investigations, Sportradar’s subsequent report was shared in strict confidentiality and in a secured manner with a selection of relevant anti-doping bodies and law enforcement agencies.

“The CADF treated the information contained in the report with extreme care, at no point did it share the findings with any other third party, including media representatives.

“The CADF deeply regrets that the report was leaked, and an inquiry is being conducted to understand how the file was made public and prevent this from happening again.

“Finally, the CADF confirms that after careful review of the elements available, it has not submitted the report to the UCI for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the individuals or team in question.”

Vinokourov, who previously worked with Ferrari during his professional career but insists he was only coached by the disgraced Italian doctor, welcomed the CADF clarification.

The Astana general manager, who served a two-year ban for blood doping after testing positive at the 2007 Tour de France, criticised the spreading of “incorrect and largely unreliable information”.

“We are pleased that today the CADF issued a statement explaining the situation with the confidential report published recently in the media,” Vinokourov said.

“As it was noted, the organisation has not found any confirmed anti-doping rule violations and as a result no disciplinary action has been initiated against either the riders or the team.

“We respect the activities carried out by the UCI and the CADF in the fight against doping in cycling and consider as absolutely normal to check all, even the most insignificant facts that could put a shadow on our sport.

“This activity is designed to make cycling cleaner.

“At the same time, we hope that the CADF will conduct a careful investigation of the way such information was made public in order to avoid repeating these situations in relation to any team or rider.

“The publication of unverified or incomplete information in the media has a detrimental effect on the image of not only professional athletes and their teams, but also of cycling as a whole.

“On behalf of the team I would like to thank our sponsors and fans for their trust and support in the moment when incorrect and largely unreliable information was spread in the media in the last few days.”