Jens Voigt at the inaugural 2011 USA Pro Cycling Challenge
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Disgraced British cyclist David Millar will have to wait till the end of April to learn whether he will be able to compete for Great Britain at the upcoming London Olympic Games after the International Court of Arbitration for Sport set the date for the hearing into the British Olympic Association’s lifetime ban for those caught doping.
The Article 25 of the law book of the British Olympic Association states that no athlete who is banned for six months or more for a doping offence will be eligible for selection into the Great Britain’s Olympic Team. However, the World Anti Doping Agency ruled in November that this ban by the British Olympic Association is illegal as it violates the code of conduct of WADA, for amounting to a second sanction.
The British Olympic Association quickly challenged the statement of WADA and moved to the International Court of Arbitration of Sports which has set a date for the hearing on the 12th of March, 2012 with David Millar leaning his fate at the final hearing in April. The British cyclist was banned in 2004 for two years after he was found guilty of using the banned substance EPO.
The 35 year old Millar played a pivotal role in Mark Cavendish winning the World Championship in October, 2011 and according to Manx Missile, who is now representing athletes at the WADA, Millar has done enough to redeem himself for what he did back in 2004. Cavendish also came out in support of the disgraced cyclist, claiming that Millar has realized his mistake and learned from it and is now campaigning for dope free sports.
However, according to an insider at the British Olympic Association, they are hopeful that the International Court of Arbitration for Sports will uphold the ban on David Millar, and therefore, send a strong message for future offenders.