• London Olympics 2012

Millar makes Team GB cycling squad

ESPN staff
June 13, 2012
David Millar has made Team GB's cycling squad © Getty Images
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David Millar, who served a two-year suspension from 2004 to 2006 for taking a banned substance, has been included in Team GB's road cyclist shortlist for this summer's London Games.

The Scot, who served his ban for taking performance enhancing drugs, has been named in an eight-man list from which five will be selected in late June.

Millar is eligible to compete after the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a British Olympic Association lifetime ban for drug cheats back in March.

Also on the eight-man shortlist are Mark Cavendish and Olympic gold medallist Bradley Wiggins, the former of who Millar would be expected to help put in a position to sprint for gold.

Olympic medallist Sir Chris Hoy was another ride named in the squad, as part of the track sprint selection, and he explained his view on Millar's inclusion.

"David is eligible so there's no problems with David being part of the team," Hoy told Sky Sports News. "Personally I've always had pretty strong views on the BOA by-law, but purely from the perspective that it's about having a deterrent for athletes who might think about cheating in the future.

"So it's not really about individual athletes who are part of the team now, it's about the fact I was hoping we could keep the BOA by-law, but obviously not."

He continued: "David himself has done a huge amount to try and educate other younger riders and the public about drugs in sport and about how to avoid the same pitfalls he fell into.

In cycling obviously, along with other sports, there is an element of trouble with drugs but cycling in particular does a lot to try and combat it. We test more than anybody else. Myself, I've tested twice in the last 12 hours! It's great to see they're doing all they can to combat drugs in sport."

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