Scottish lock MacLeod fails doping test

LONDON, England -- Scotland rugby union international Scott MacLeod failed a doping test before this year's Six Nations Championship but has been cleared to carry on playing.

The Scottish rugby union (SRU) said that MacLeod was found to have "inadvertently" taken an asthma medication without the required permission.

The test on MacLeod, taken on January 25, revealed traces of Terbutaline, which is on the World Anti-Doping Agency banned list.

MacLeod, who suffers from chronic asthma, had not gained the necessary exemption to use the medication.

An independent judicial committee warned and reprimanded the 28-year-old but did not impose a possible one-year ban.

"I'm not a cheat and I'm pleased that the panel accepted that I'd used Terbutaline inadvertently and that there had been no intention to enhance sports performance," said MacLeod.

"Hopefully other players will be a bit more savvy given what's happened to me. I want to put this behind me now and concentrate on the job in hand with the national team."

Second row forward MacLeod had referred to his asthmatic condition after being promoted to the Scottish pack for their Six Nations game against Ireland on Saturday.

"I'm just relieved to get a chance," he said.

"It's brilliant to be in the 22 and I would never complain about that, but it is tough coming off the bench. "Especially as I have asthma and I always find it hard to catch my breath and get into the game."

MacLeod was winning his 17th cap in the heavy defeat to Ireland but it was only the fourth time had played from the start of the game.

The Llanelli Scarlets lock owed his promotion to strong performances from the bench against both France and Wales for Scotland who are winless in this campaign.

In other rugby news on Monday, Ireland prop Simon Best announced his retirement as a result of the heart problem that cut short his participation at last year's World Cup.

He was taken ill after making three appearances during Ireland's unsuccessful campaign in France last year with an irregular heart rhythm.

Best, who turned 30 earlier this month, made his Ireland debut in 2003 and won 23 caps for his country. E-mail to a friend