Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) announced today that cyclist David Millar has been cleared by its Board to represent Scotland at the next Commonwealth Games in Delhi, subject to him meeting the necessary performance selection criteria.

Today’s decision comes on the back of an application from Millar to be given eligibility for selection following a successful return to the sport in 2006. David was banned from competing in cycling for two years in 2004 following a positive doping offence.

He returned to racing in 2006, competing for the Slipstream Garmin team at the Tour de France and other major events as well as for GB Cycling in world championships and he did so in the full knowledge that he had a responsibility to educate the media, public and other athletes about the world of doping.

Since then, David has worked closely with UK Sport, British Cycling, UCI and WADA in the area of anti-doping and is proving to be a valuable asset.  He was nominated to the WADA Athlete's Committee in 2007 by UK Sport as the British representative, contributing to the development of British Cycling, UK Sport and SPORT WADA anti-doping policies and programmes and demonstrating his commitment to making a difference in the world of sport.

Confirming the decision, Jon Doig, CGS Chief Executive said: “The CGS Board felt that since his return to cycling David has become an active campaigner and educator about doping in sport and has gone to great lengths to rehabilitate himself and share his experiences with others in an attempt to promote the anti-doping message. David has now been cleared to compete for Scotland in Delhi subject to achieving the necessary performance selection standards.”

As a condition of his clearance to compete for Scotland, David has agreed to deliver an anti-doping seminar for young Scottish athletes.

Welcoming the news Millar said: “I am absolutely delighted with the decision. It would be an honour to race for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi and to give something back to the country that has given me so much. I am proud to be a Scot and feel that I have been supported incredibly through the bad times as well as the good by Scotland.

“I made mistakes as a younger athlete in a dirty sport, and I will have to live with those mistakes for the rest of my life, but I have changed and I know I bring something beneficial to not only cycling but also sport as a whole. 

“I have been so pro-active in my fight against doping because I believe I can make a difference, and I also believe that the mistakes I made as an athlete were fully preventable.  If the example I now give and education I provide can prevent a younger version of me from making the same mistakes I made than I could not ask for more.”

David will now seek selection for a number of the cycling events in Delhi.