Italians clear Guardiola in doping case

Barcelona: Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has been cleared in a long-running doping saga, the Italian Olympic Committee said in a statement on Tuesday.

Guardiola served a four-month ban for failing tests for nandrolone while a Brescia player in 2001 but in May the Italian soccer federation finally upheld his appeal. Italy`s anti-doping prosecutor challenged the decision but a tribunal has now ruled in Guardiola`s favour. "The issue has been put to bed and that`s that. The good thing is that it`s over and we can look forward," Guardiola told a news conference after Barca`s 2-0 Champions League win over Dynamo Kiev at the Nou Camp.Bureau Report