Sydney: Former world cycling champion Sean Eadie was dropped on Wednesday from the Australian Olympic team after being accused of smuggling performance-enhancing drugs.

Australian cycling officials announced they had withdrawn Eadie from the team after being told the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) would not accept his nomination while his doping case was being heard.

“I confirm that Cycling Australia has written to Mr Eadie and advised him that he is no longer nominated to the team,” Cycling Australia chief executive Graham Fredericks wrote in a letter to the AOC.

The AOC announced on Monday that Eadie had been issued with an infraction notice after the Australian Customs Service reported that he was caught importing human growth hormone five years ago.

Eadie protested his innocence and immediately lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which is expected to be heard next week. Cycling Australia has already nominated reserve rider Ben Kersten as Eadie’s replacement but if he wins the case he could be reinstated for the Games.

Eadie has never failed a drugs test but came under investigation after a former teammate accused him and four other elite cyclists of using performance-enhancing drugs. The cyclists were all cleared but AOC chief John Coates said they would be banned from competing in Athens if were found guilty of other offences.