Van Houts rejoins Multivan Merida team

Mountain biker Rudi van Houts is back under contract racing with his former team, Multivan Merida, after being cleared of doping allegations.

Van Houts had been removed from the mountain bike team after a positive doping test in October 2010.

"As soon as the allegations became public, we had no option but to nullify the current contract with Rudi right away," said Multivan Merida Team Manager Andreas Rottler according to van Hout's website. "After all, we believe in doping-free sport. As his innocence has been proven, we are just as strict about reintegrating him into the team."

Van Houts' positive doping test was for Clenbuterol. The decision by the UCI and WADA not to take further action following the test supported the rider's claim that the minimal traces of Clenbuterol in his samples were unknowingly ingested by eating meat while in Mexico.

Earlier on, van Houts had been acquitted by the Dutch national anti-doping agency.

Throughout his case, van Houts maintained his innocence, and recently a number of national anti-doping agencies have advised their athletes to abstain from eating meat in Mexico and China.

He has been racing this spring and most recently, at the Offenburg World Cup, he finished 11th.