PARIS -- Former Tour de France leader Igor Gonzalez Galdeano of Spain, who was cleared of a positive test for salbutamol for therapeutic reasons, would have been banned for a similar test at the Olympics, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said.

"The situation must be clarified. This cyclist underwent an anti-doping test which revealed the taking of salbutamol at 1,360 nanograms per millilitre," Canadian Dick Pound told French daily Le Monde.

"But since he had a therapeutic justification, the International Cycling Union (UCI) decided that he could not be liable to a sanction," he added.

A similar case, "if taking place at the Olympics, would be considered doping and no therapeutic justification could avoid a sanction," Pound added.

According to WADA and International Olympic Committee rules, salbutamol is allowed for the treatment of asthma but only at a level below 1,000 nanograms.

But Pound stopped short of criticizing the UCI decision not to ban ONCE rider Gonzalez Galdeano.

"There is no condemnation of the decision made by UCI, who in this case have rightly applied their own rules," he said.

The UCI defended its decision in a statement on Thursday which said it "allowed the use of inhalation products to prevent or cure asthma, whatever the concentration of the substance found in urine."

It added that the Gonzalez Galdeano case was now closed.