Michael Rasmussen's Rabobank team was right to sack him during the Tour de France after he lied about his pre-Tour whereabouts, an inquiry has concluded.
The Dane was leading the Tour before being axed but the report said he should not have been allowed to start.
"The team's directors and chairman did not adequately assess the importance of multiple signs concerning his conduct prior to the Tour," said the report.
Rasmussen has since admitted lying but not explained why he did it.
He reportedly tested non-negative for a banned substance in the Tour but tests could not legally be termed positive.
The French Anti-Doping Agency said in September the Dane had returned the non-negative urine sample for the banned erythropoietin (EPO).
Shortly after his dismissal from Rabobank, Rasmussen had been in talks with Italian team Acqua & Sapone about competing with them.
The inquiry, headed by former Dutch Olympic chief Peter Vogelzang , also criticised the International Cycling Union (UCI) for failing to act with "insufficient unambiguousness, vigorousness and credibility".
"The UCI must attain a higher level of professionalism with regard to the formulation, enforcement and monitoring of its own doping regulations," it said.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~48~RS~)