World champion Lizzie Armitstead (Boels Dolmans) (Image credit: Sean Robinson/Velofocus)
Great Britain's Lizzie Armitstead is clear to race at the Rio Olympic Games after the world champion won an appeal after missing three anti-doping tests. Armitstead, the London 2012 silver medallist, was facing suspension for missing the tests, however the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled one of those tests did not follow procedures.
Armitstead, 27, was provisionally suspended on July 11 and was facing a four-year ban for the missed tests from UK Anti-Doping but successfully argued the case was administrative and she was not avoiding being tested.
"I have always been and will always be a clean athlete and have been vocal in my anti-doping stance throughout my career. I am pleased that CAS has accepted my position, having provided detailed information demonstrating the situation around my strikes," Armitstead said in a statement.
"This issue was one of administration and was the result of UKAD not following proper procedure nor fully attempting to make contact with me despite clear details being provided under 'whereabouts'. I was tested in competition the day after this test, reinforcing my position that I do not cheat and had no intention of not being tested."
"I think that there should be clearer guidelines for those administrating tests and would like to work with UKAD going forward to explore how this can be better addressed in the future so no other athlete is put in this position.
"Meanwhile, I hope that UKAD can now return to the important job of making sure all athletes are clean and that Rio is the clean Olympics that we all want.
"I understand how important it is to be vigilant in my role as a professional athlete and realise the potential implications this could have had. I would like to thank British Cycling and the team around me for all of their help and support. I am very much looking forward to putting this situation behind."
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The missed test were reported as August 20 last year when Armitstead was with her Boels Dolmans team at the Crescent Women World Cup Vargarda in Sweden, November last year, and June 2016.
Armitstead will be one of the favourites for the women's road race on August 7 having won the Aviva Women's Tour overall, and the one-day races Boels Rental Hills Classic, Women's Tour of Flandrers, Trofeo Alfredo Binda - Comune di Cittiglio, Strade Bianche and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.
