Following a positive test for nandrolone, Greg Rosedski (British - Canadian tennis player) has been cleared of a doping offence.

Nandrolone is a steroid. Rusedski failed a drugs test last year in the summer. He has been vehemently protesting his innocence to the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals).

Rusedski said the verdict was clear and unequivocal. He said he will hold a news conference on Tuesday. 'It's an enormous relief for me and my family and I look forward to resuming my career,' he said.

According to the Tribunal there was no evidence of supporting such a finding ? that he had committed a doping offence. The Tribunal said he had been cleared of doping.

Bohdn Ulihrach, a Czech player, was cleared of doping last year under similar circumstances. This is what Rusedski?s defence revolved around.

In Ulihrach?s case, the Tribunal decided that the trainers may have been responsible for giving the contaminated supplements. Six other unnamed players were also cleared in that case.

The Association of Tennis Professionals said that they had told players not to take supplements two months before Rusedski had his test. They told players in May of last year.

Rusedski and his lawyers said that Rusedski?s case was identical to the other seven players who were cleared. The Tribunal agreed and cleared him.

A spokesman for the Tribunal said 'The ATP argued unsuccessfully that Mr Rusedski could be held to be positive as he must be taken to have known that he should not take substances given to him by the ATP. The ATP could have - and should have - taken steps to notify its players in a 'meaningful' and 'direct' way of the reasons for its decision to cease distributing the electrolyte tablets.'

The Association of Tennis Professionals can appeal if they want, they will have to do so through the Court of Arbitration for Sports. They have 21 days to appeal.

WHAT IS NANDROLONE?

Nandrolone is an anabolic steroid commercially known as Deca-Durabolin. It was popular with sprinters and throwers in track and field in the 1970s. The powerful testosterone derivative is taken by injection.

Athletes often used nandrolone with oral steroids and amino acids, a combination they suggested showed great gains of muscle. When drug testing became more sophisticated in the 1980s, athletes quit using nandrolone because it was easily detectable.

The drug stays in the system so long, athletes who use it are likely to be caught by a test.

Nandrolone is used to treat anemia from renal failure and for HIV patients to stimulate weight gain. But it became controversial in the world of sports because scores of athletes tested positive for it in the past five years.

Some of the high-profile cases involved Petr Korda, who tested positive at the 1998 Wimbledon championships, and Olympic sprinters Linford Christie of England and Merlene Ottey of Jamaica.

All claimed their innocence, suggesting the drug was the result of a contaminated supplement.