Danish track rider Alex Rasmussen banned from Olympics

Danish cyclist Alex Rasmussen has been banned from the London Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport imposed an 18-month suspension for violating anti-doping rules.

CAS says it partially upheld an appeal by the International Cycling Union, which wanted Rasmussen to serve a two-year ban. He missed two anti-doping tests and, in a third case, failed to file details of his availability for testing.

Rasmussen, a silver medalist in team pursuit at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and four-time track world champion, cannot compete until March 2013, the court said.

Rasmussen said it was "an unfair decision so close to the Olympics."

The UCI appealed to the sports court after a tribunal in Denmark cleared Rasmussen, citing a procedure error by cycling's governing body.