Van Houts free to ride again after Clenbuterol positive

Mountain biker Rudi van Houts was found guilty of having Clenbuterol in his body, but the Dutch cycling federation said it would not punish him for it. He is eligible to ride again immediately.

He tested positive in late October of 2010, immediately after returning from a trip to Mexico, and claimed that the product could only have entered his body by eating contaminated food.

According to the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Wielren Unie, van Houts was not acquitted, but convicted without punishment. “There was Clenbuterol in Van Houts' body,” said Herman Ram, director of the federation's doping authority, to telesport.nl.

“In this case the disciplinary committee ruled at the request of van Houts and the advice of the doping authority, where we knew there was a violation but that van Houts cannot be blamed for it. There is no punishment imposed.”

“This is a load off my heart,” van Houts said. “I have been through a very difficult period, but I'm glad it is behind me. I can race again.”

The Dutch mountainbiker of the year hopes to return to German team Multivan-Merida, where he has ridden the last two years.