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Diana Taurasi Cleared Of Doping Charges By Turkish Federation

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Diana Taurasi proclaimed her innocence, accused the lab of mishandling the test, took a polygraph and now has been cleared by the Turkish Basketball Federation according to this report from the Associated Press.

"The Federation has decided to lift the precautionary ban imposed on player Diana Lorena Taurasi to prevent the club and the player from being aggrieved further," the Turkish body said in a statement Wednesday.

The highly unusual move allows Taurasi to return to her club team, Fenerbahce, is she so choices and clears her to play for Team USA in the 2012 Olympics. Taurasi, along with long-time teammate Penny Taylor, left Turkey as a result of the incident and are believed to be in California. Both are scheduled to report for training camp with the Phoenix Mercury in May. 

According to the AP report, "the federation also lifted the provisional doping suspension for American player Monique Coker, who plays for Ceyhan Belediyesi and had tested positive for modafinil in doping tests carried out by the same lab."

This is the best possible news for the Phoenix Mercury and WNBA who have cloud lifted from above one of their most well-known stars.