Dave Brailsford has defended Team Sky's recruitment policy after Ben Swift was named in the squad before signing for the team.

Tour Down Under organisers the South Australian tourist board have issued a press release naming Swift in the seven-rider line-up for Team Sky's debut race in January, even though the Yorkshireman's capture is yet to go through.

The 22-year-old is still under the contract he signed with Katusha for the 2009 and 2010 seasons - according to the Russian team - but is known to be keen on a move to Team Sky.

"Our understanding was that he had become a free agent," said Brailsford, Sky's team principal.

"It was planning ahead. The information we've received is that Ben had resigned and terminated his contract and become a free agent - that's what we were led to believe.

"We just acted in good faith."

Swift is understood to be negotiating his exit from Katusha, but Brailsford stressed the rider was acting independently and Team Sky had acted in accordance with International Cycling Union regulations.

"The situation regarding Ben is in the process of being resolved," added Brailsford, who knows the Rotherham racer well under his guise as British Cycling performance director.

"I think we're very much following the UCI's lead in terms of that situation.

"As a team we haven't actually been directly involved with regards his current team - that's him acting independently with his agent.

"Our understanding is that he has become a free agent, but were this not to be the case then of course we wouldn't want to be in a position where we didn't act in accordance with all of the UCI's regulations."

Brailsford, however, did admit Sky were hoping to sign Swift, if he was to become available, although he expects competition for the rider's signature.

Brailsford added: "Were he to become a free agent - as we were led to believe - then in our pre-planning we have foreseen a situation where Ben, were he a Team Sky rider, would compete in the Tour Down Under.

"However, we respect the fact that there is an element of speculation, but we have acted in good faith and have been in contact with the UCI regarding this matter."

Swift, who won stage seven of the Tour of Britain in September, is one of three Britons named in the seven-rider squad for Team Sky's racing debut, alongside Chris Froome and Russell Downing.

Australians Chris Sutton and Mathew Hayman, Italy's Davide Vigano and New Zealand's Greg Henderson complete the line-up for the race, which takes place in Adelaide and South Australia from January 17-24, 2010.

While Swift's situation is still to be cleared up, one rider who seems unlikely to ride in Team Sky colours next season is Bradley Wiggins.

Wiggins has long been linked with a move - speculation which has escalated since his fourth-placed finish in July's Tour de France - but remains under contract with Garmin for 2010.

Brailsford was not prepared to comment on the protracted saga over Wiggins.

"At the moment there's been so much speculation about Brad's situation that really I'll just concentrate on talking about the riders who are under contract with us and not about riders that are not under contract with us," said Brailsford.

Wiggins appears to have resigned himself to remaining with the American squad for the forthcoming campaign.

The 29-year-old said: "I still have to see my contract out with Garmin.

"I didn't really have the choice to be honest.

"That's why I haven't really got too worried about it - in my mind it was never going to happen, so I never built my hopes up too much.

"I'll just have to concentrate on what I've got and focus with Garmin and do the best we can do next year."