Impey cleared of doping offences

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The South African was left out of Orica-GreenEDGE's Tour de France team after testing positive for banned substance probenecid, which is predominantly used to treat gout but can used as a masking agent for anabolic steroids.

Impey delivered a positive A and B sample at the South African Championships in February, but has always maintained his innocence.

And the 29-year-old, who in 2013 became the first African leader of the Tour de France, has now been cleared of any wrongdoing after a hearing ruled that he had taken the substance through a contaminated product purchased at a pharmacist.

Impey said in a statement on his official website: "Whilst I never disputed the lab results and the finding, I was put in a very tough position of defending my case due to strict liability. 

"That being said, and after already having to go back five months to try find out how this could have happened, I finally was able to prove that this was a case of cross-contamination and I was also cleared of any fault or negligence on my part. 

"It has been definitely the hardest two months of my life, it has been a huge financial loss and has been tough on my whole family. 

"But I was determined to show that I am clean and that I would never cheat to try get an advantage over my competitors. I am so relieved that this has now been proven.

"I am hoping to return back to racing now, and hopefully compete before the World Championships in September. I reiterate my stance against doping and I will continue to race clean throughout my career. 

"Right now, I am just really happy that I can be a bike rider again and do what I love the most."

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