Greg cleared of drug taking

Greg Rusedski was today sensationally cleared of drug cheating.

The tennis player's career was threatened when he tested positive for nandrolone last summer.

Today the British number two described the verdict of a hearing in Montreal as "unequivocal" and said: "It's an enormous relief for me and my family."

He added: "To be allowed to carry on playing competitive tennis and to clear my name has been my priority throughout and now I am looking forward to resuming my career."

But his clearance once again raises questions about the effectiveness of drugs testing in sport. Rusedski had tested positive for the banned steroid during the ATP tournament in Indianapolis last July.

He always maintained his innocence, claiming the nandrolone in his system came from the same source as that found in seven other players.

They were cleared last May because the Association of Tennis Professionals, the governing body of the men's tour, could not be sure that the offending material had not accidentally been supplied by one of their trainers.

Rusedski had protested his innocence in a statement which outlined his defence and promised to clear his name from involvement in what he labelled "one of the biggest scandals in world sport".

The positive test was the most devastating in a list of setbacks for Rusedski, 30, who has suffered injury throughout his career. Had he not been cleared he faced a possible two-year ban.