18 Dec 2009

Gasquet cleared of doping, avoids ban

5:01 pm on 18 December 2009

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has cleared the French tennis player Richard Gasquet of doping and dismissed appeals for a tougher penalty.

International sport's top court accepted the 23-year-old was likely to have been inadvertently contaminated with a minute trace of cocaine when he kissed a woman in a Miami night club in March.

It's exonerated the former top 10 player from any fault or negligence and dismissed appeals from the International Tennis Federation and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Gasquet tested positive during the Miami Masters and was provisionally suspended in May before serving a two- and-a-half month retroactive ban .

The ITF and WADA wanted him banned for one or two years.

The former French number one says he expected the decision because he's innocent and now he can look forward to next season.