The 38-year-old was due to take on American Deontay Wilder and Canadian Bermane Stiverne in world title fights last year but neither bout went ahead after the Russian tested positive for meldonium and ostarine before the respective contests.

Povetkin was supposed to go up against Wilder in May and Stiverne in December.

Following the two failed tests, the WBC banned Povetkin indefinitely in March.

The Russian appealed the sanction and the WBC has ruled that Olympic gold medallist Povetkin's should only be banned for a year.

Povetkin's representative Alexei Karpenko told Russia's state news agency TASS that they had managed to prove ostarine "entered Povetkin’s body with nutritional supplements".

The suspension has been backdated to December 6 of last year - the date of the second positive drugs test - meaning the Russian will be free to fight again from next month.

The WBC have also given Povetkin a one-year probationary period, which begins this coming December.

"Mr. Povetkin shall be free and clear of any penalty as long as he does not test positive for any banned substance during the remainder of the suspension and subsequent probation, or until December 6, 2018," the WBC said in a statement.

Povetkin has also been ordered to "participate in a doping prevention campaign with the WBC" and will be added to the world rankings of the governing body from January.

Despite the doping claims, Povetkin, the winner of the Olympic super-heavyweight gold medal at Athens 2004, was allowed to go up against France’s Johann Duhaupas in a non-title fight in Yekaterinburg in December of last year.

It sparked controversy in Russia and in worldwide boxing circles.

The former World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, knocked out the Frenchman in the sixth round.

Povetkin escaped a WBC ban in April, despite failing for the banned heart attack drug meldonium, which forced the cancellation of his bout with Wilder on May 21.