Yesterday Andy Schleck blasted his own RadioShack-Leopard team for firing his brother Frank just before a diuretics ban was set to end.

Leopard, the management company of RadioShack, announced on Thursday that Frank would not ride for them again this season - days before his year-long ban was up.

Andy, the younger of the two, did not mince his word in a subsequent interview.

“I can’t really understand the decision. I’m sad and disappointed but I don’t know what to say. Maybe they will use it against me and fire me as well,” Schleck said.

Andy said he believed the decision was not related to Frank’s suspension.

“It wasn’t even anything to do with doping, even the UCI agreed on that,” he said. “But there are other things behind this decision. I don’t think it is anything to do with the suspension.

“To kick him out of the team after 11 months of giving him their support, I just don’t understand it.”

The banned Luxembourger ends his suspension on July 14, though his RadioShack contract ran until the end of the current season.

In a response to Andy Schleck’s strongly worded reaction, the RadioShack-Leopard team issued a public statement today denying that Frank Schleck had been led to believe that he would be able to continue in their ranks.

“Leopard would like to clarify that Fränk Schleck nor his counsellors can be surprised over the decision taken by Leopard, as several meetings with Fränk Schleck have taken place between the date when the options to appeal the verdict expired and the present date.

The decision that has been conveyed to Fränk Schleck on Wednesday corresponds perfectly to the atmosphere of these meetings.”

Whether or not Andy Schleck will continue on the team next year remains doubtful.