Dec 23rd, 09.

Millar on his way to winning stage 20 of the Vuelta this year ©Unipublic

The decision, announced today, comes after Millar applied to be eligible for selection following his successful return to the sport in 2006.  

He was banned from competing for two years in 2004 following a positive doping offence, EPO use, which he admitted at the time. In addition to his ban by the cycling authorities, Millar was given a life time ban by the CGS.

Since his return to the international arena, Millar has worked closely with UK Sport, British Cycling, UCI and WADA in the area of anti-doping and the CGS now considers him a valuable asset in the fight against doping.

The 2007 British road and time trial champion has been riding for Garmin Slipstream, one of the pro-tour teams who make a point of discussing their anti-doping stance.  The 32 year old, now one of the most admired riders in the peloton, admits he made mistakes.

"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," he said after hearing today's decision.

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," he said.

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

"I am absolutely delighted with the decision," said Millar.  "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 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."

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are in Delhi, India, 3-14th October.

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