Cycling-Henao cleared after biological data concerns - UCI

PARIS, May 31 (Reuters) - Colombian rider Sergio Henao has been cleared of any wrongdoing after his biological data were analysed by experts, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said on Tuesday. Henao was withdrawn from racing by Team Sky last month after concerns re-surfaced about his biological data. He had been contacted by the UCI and the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) with regards to his Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) data between August 2011 and June 2015. "On 20 April 2016, in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) Operating Guidelines, the independent experts of the Athlete Passport Management Unit (APMU) in Lausanne, Switzerland, requested further information from Sergio Henao about his ABP values," the UCI said in a statement. "As per the applicable ABP regulations, the rider's explanations were sent to the same experts for review. After examination, the independent experts came to the conclusion that there was no basis to proceed further." The 28-year-old climber was voluntarily withdrawn by the team for three months in March 2014 after their own monitoring of his ABP and his out-of-competition tests during his usual winter training block back home at high altitude in Colombia. Sky commissioned an independent 10-week research program into the biological characteristics of riders who live and train at high altitude with the results revealing nothing to raise suspicion of any wrongdoing by Henao. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond)