British cyclist David Millar, who recently admitted taking the banned drug EPO, has been suspended from the sport for two years, the British Cycling Federation said yesterday.

"The panel decided that the facts of the case constituted offences of intentional doping," a statement said.

Millar has also been disqualified from the 2003 world time trial championship, which he won.

He was questioned by French police before the Tour de France as part of an investigation into doping in his Cofidis team.

After two days of questioning he admitted taking endurance booster EPO (erythropoietin) in 2001 and 2003.

Millar was sacked by Cofidis and has since said he hoped to get no more than a one year ban so he could help prevent other riders from taking drugs. He had already pulled out of the British Olympic team.

Three years ago, Millar (left) represented Malta in the Games of the Small States of Europe, held in San Marino and won gold in the the time-trial. Millar qualified to race for Malta as he was born here.

Joe Cassar, the secretary of the Malta Olympic Committee (MOC), told The Times that evidence relating to Millar's doping case showed that the rider had not taken any prohibitive substance when he won a gold medal for Malta.

"It seems unlikely that Millar will be stripped of the gold medal he won for Malta," Mr Cassar said. Nonetheless, the MOC secretary was quick to condemn Millar's use of a banned drug and said that the MOC were still awaiting WADA's reaction on this matter.