The IAAF has cleared British long-distance runner Paula Radcliffe of doping allegations.
The three-time London Marathon winner was implicated by a parliamentary select committee who were investigating doping allegations aired by German broadcaster ARD and the Sunday Times in September.
Although Radcliffe was not named, the 41-year-old opted to release a statement insisting that she had never taken performance-enhancing drugs.
The allegations were based on a database of blood values, 14 of which given by Radcliffe were reported to have been "suspicious" as they were deemed outside of the "normal" results.
However, world athletics' governing body has cleared Radcliffe, and added that allegations that the IAAF failed to act on evidence of cheating are false.
"This case is a good example, then, of how dangerous it is to insinuate that an athlete has doped based simply on raw and incomplete data in the leaked database," Sky Sports News quotes the IAAF as saying. "Ms Radcliffe should never have been forced to come out and defend herself against such insinuations.
"The IAAF is far from complacent about the problem of blood doping in its sport, but [it] cannot sit idly by while public confidence in its willingness to protect the integrity of its sport is undermined by allegations of inaction are based on inaccurate and unfounded scientific and legal argument."
Meanwhile, IAAF president Sebastian Coe has stepped down from his £100,000-a-year role as Nike ambassador following suggestions that there was a conflict of interest.
Danielle Joynson
