Olympic judo champion Tong back to action after being cleared of doping

Chinese Olympic judo champion Tong Wen, cleared of doping offence, has embarked her journey for a series of London Olympic Games qualifying events, local newspaper reported on Thursday.

Tong, who aims at defending her over 78 kilograms category title in London next year, will compete in the first qualification on Saturday in Moscow.

Tong's coach said the 28-year-old judoka still needs time to regain her best form.

"That domineering Tong came back a little bit just yesterday. Since she has been away from the court for such a long time, it is normal that she felt nervous," Wu Weifeng was quoted by the Tianjin Daily as saying.

Tong successfully had her two-year ban for a positive clenbuterol test overturned in February and was reinstated as world champion.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned the suspension imposed by the International Judo Federation, citing a "procedural failure" in the laboratory tests.

Tong tested positive for the fat-burning drug at the 2009 world championships in Rotterdam, where she won the +78kg category title.

The governing body ordered tests on her backup "B" sample -- which also showed clenbuterol traces -- without telling her or giving her the chance to attend the tests at the World Anti-Doping Agency lab in Cologne, Germany.

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