Given his staunch denials to having blood-doped, which led to a first two-year ban in 2006, now he is fighting to convince doubts over his claims that the steroid-based ingredient for which he tested positive was found in a homeopathic supplement he was taking to treat depression.

Hamilton explained why he took the supplement. "I was desperate. At the time I didn't think about the consequences. The people who suffer from the disease of depression understand my drastic decision," said Hamilton, who claims most of his family suffer from the illness. His grandmother committed suicide when his mother was 13 years old.

He added: "As an elite athlete, the public expects you to have perfect physical condition and also a perfect condition mentally, but that is not always the case.

"Athletes don't talk about it because it is a sign of weakness. It is nothing to be ashamed about, it's a disease. It effects lives and can take lives."