The National Anti-Doping Panel confirmed Bailey, a six-time Super League champion, "bore no fault or negligence" for recording an anti-doping rule violation.

The 33-year-old, who currently plays for Canadian side the Toronto Wolfpack, was charged with "evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection" in May of last year.

Bailey, who could have been suspended for up to four years, claimed he repeatedly refused to take the test because he feared water given to him by drug testers was contaminated.

The independent National Anti-Doping Panel subsequently said the circumstances were "truly exceptional" and he should therefore not face a suspension from the sport.

Bailey claimed at the time that the bottles of water he was given before the test were not sealed, leading to a ruling which has been described as a "landmark".

Tribunal chairman Robert Englehart said Bailey, who was fined £1,500 ($2,000/€1,700) in December 2004 for testing positive for banned stimulant ephedrine, had provided a sample a few days after the disputed test which returned a negative result.

"Although Mr Bailey was told that his refusal might be an anti-doping rule violation and that the consequences might be serious, his mind was quite unable to take in or process this information," Englehart wrote in his decision.

"On that basis, we do not believe it to be right to conclude that he was at fault or negligent. 

"It would be unfair to Mr Bailey and inconsistent with the approach of the ADR in its definition of fault to judge his actions artificially.

"Having heard Mr Bailey give evidence, we do not for one moment think that he is a cheat or was trying to cover up drug taking."

The panel did, however, say that Bailey's behaviour in the case was "irrational".

It said the player could easily had agreed to take the test and kept hold of the bottles to be analysed afterwards.

Bailey has made four appearances for both the England and Great Britain rugby league teams.

He had spells with the Leeds Rhinos, where he played for 12 years, Hull Kingston Rovers, Castleford Tigers and the Warrington Wolves before joining Toronto Wolfpack last year.

Toronto Wolfpack compete in the British Rugby Football League and were promoted to the Championship, the second tier behind the Super League, in 2017.