The preliminary decision from the sport's world governing body came after the 30-year-old New Zealand eventer faced a tribunal in London last week to explain why his horse, Clifton Promise, had tested positive for the banned substance Reserpine at the Burghley International Horse Trials in September.

The tribunal said it is "satisfied on a balance of probabilities, that the PR [Person Responsible, Paget] has demonstrated that he bore No Fault or Negligence for the EAD [Equine Anti-Doping] Rule violation", and he is now clear to return to competitive action pending the release of the full and final FEI Tribunal ruling.

Jim Ellis, the chief executive of Equestrian Sports New Zealand, welcomed the announcement, but stressed that it is still a preliminary decision.

"This is an encouraging step but it is important to wait for the Tribunal's full ruling," he said.

Paget, who had won last year's Burghley Horse Trials on Clifton Promise, has already been stripped of the title, which was handed over to his compatriot Andrew Nicholson.

It is thought this disqualification will stand, regardless of the findings of the tribunal's final ruling.

Meanwhile, Australia's Kevin McNab had his provisional suspension lifted by the FEI Tribunal.

His horse, Clifton Pinot, also tested positive for Reserpine at Burghley last year.

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