Women’s road race world champion Lizzie Armitstead says she will hold her "head high" at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

Women’s road race world champion Lizzie Armitstead says she will hold her “head high” at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games having been afforded a reprieve to compete in spite of missing three drugs tests within a 12-month period.

On Monday (August 1), the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the first of Armitstead’s three missed tests was not valid, clearing her in time for Rio 2016.

Armitstead’s reprieve has provoked debate among other athletes with many questioning the circumstances surrounding her situation.

In an attempt to clarify her side of the story, the 27-year-old has released a personally written two-page statement explaining the circumstances for each missed test.

"I love sport and the values it represents, it hurts me to consider anybody questioning my performances," she said.

"Integrity is something I strive for in every part of my life.

"I will hold my head high in Rio and do my best for Great Britain.

"I am sorry for causing anyone to lose faith in sport.

"I am an example of what hard work and dedication can achieve.

"I hate dopers and what they have done to the sport."

Armitstead was charged by the UK Anti-Doping Agency (UKAD) on July 11 with three "whereabouts" failures, leading to a suspension pending disciplinary action.

The ruling centred on an anti-doping test attempted on August 20 last year, when the Briton claimed she was staying at her team hotel, during the International Cycling Union (UCI) Women’s Road World Cup in Vargarda in Sweden.

CAS ruled that the doping control officer had not followed required procedures nor made reasonable attempts to locate Armitstead.

They decided, therefore, that there was no negligence on her part and that she had correctly followed procedures.

Armitstead says she did contest the first test in a written explanation to UKAD, but it was not accepted on the eve of her journey to Richmond in the United States for the World Championships.

"I had no legal advice or external support at the time," she added.

Armitstead said CAS supported her case because she was at the hotel she had stated she would be at and the testing official "didn't do what was reasonable and necessary to find me".

She added that she had her mobile phone on silent at the time so as not to disturb a room-mate but said she was "available and willing to provide a sample for UKAD".

Armitstead, the London 2012 road race silver medallist, claimed a filing failure on the ADAMS whereabouts system, caused by an administrative oversight, had caused her second missed test on October 5.

She says this was "an honest mistake rather than trying to deceive anybody".

Lizzie Armitstead’s reprieve has provoked debate among other athletes ©Getty Images
Lizzie Armitstead’s reprieve has provoked debate among other athletes ©Getty Images

She then says she was given support from British Cycling in order to avoid any potential third strike. 

This led to British Cycling official Simon Thornton being assigned to help her, however, "this system fell apart" when Thornton left the organisation three weeks before a third missed test on June 9 without her knowledge.

Armitstead then failed to change her one-hour testing slot on the ADAMS whereabouts system, despite registering her accommodation.

"My personal family circumstances at the time of the test were incredibly difficult," she said. 

"It was a traumatic time and I forgot to change a box on a form.

"I am not a robot I am a member of a family.

"Our suffering does not need to be part of a public trial."

UKAD claimed yesterday it "respects" the outcome of the CAS hearing, but is awaiting a "reasoned decision" as to why Armitstead was let-off. 

Armitstead is one of the favourites for the Rio 2016 women's road race gold medal on Sunday (August 7).

She could have been banned for up to two years if she had lost the case, but this could have been reduced to a year depending on fault.