Publications
Partners
Copenhagen - Track cycling world champion Alex Rasmussen was cleared of charges connected to missed doping tests by the Denmark Sports Federation doping committee on Thursday.
Rasmussen was suspended by his national cycling body and fired by his team HTC-Highroad in September, after missing three doping tests in 18 months.
He received two warnings from Denmark's anti-doping agency and one from the International Cycling Union.
The sports federation said it cleared Rasmussen because the UCI didn't inform him about his third whereabouts violation until 10 weeks after it happened.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency's rules, Rasmussen should have been informed of the violation within 14 days.
Officials at UCI weren't immediately available to say if it would appeal the Danish decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
If the ruling stands, it means Rasmussen can compete next season for his new team, Garmin-Cervelo, and has the opportunity to participate in the 2012 London Olympics.
"It is above all expectations. I am super happy. I hardly know what to say." Rasmussen told Danish news website spn.dk. "I will call a lot of people, and get the bikes back out again and move on."
Garmin-Cervelo team director Johnny Weltz told spn.dk Rasmussen could play an important role in the team.
"If he can participate from the start of the season it changes our plans a lot. Now we have to incorporate him into the group as soon as possible," Weltz said. "I hope he has learned his lesson and plans his daily activities better in the future."
