PARIS, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Former track cycling world champion Alex Rasmussen of Denmark was banned for 18 months because he missed two out-of-competition doping controls, announced the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Wednesday.

CAS acted on an appeal by cycling's governing body the UCI again an initial decision by Denmark's cycling federation to acquit the rider on the basis of what they perceived as a procedural mistake made by the UCI.

The UCI had called for the cyclist to receive a two-year ban after he had missed tow tests and failed to give sufficient details about his whereabouts for a third control.

CAS upheld the UCI's appeal, maintaining that its procedural error relating to a delay in communication had no bearing on the fact that the 28-year-old rider had missed a control.

Rasmussen won four world titles before turning professional.

Rasmussen joined the Garmin outfit last August and competed in this year's Tour of Italy.

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