The 35-year-old Scot, who retired from skiing in April, was due to make his competitive debut in the sport in Thursday's sprint and Saturday's keirin against Sir Chris Hoy.

 

Baxter, who was stripped of his slalom bronze at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City after failing a drugs test, began to feel ill last week.
 

He said: "I came down with something on Saturday and the doctor said I probably shouldn't race.

 

"It was not ideal preparation for a race but that's how it goes sometimes."

 

Baxter was forced to retire from competitive skiing because of a back problem but wants to get into Olympic contention as a cyclist for next year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and the London 2012 Games.
 
Baxter, who is part of a experimental talent transfer programme, which is aimed at getting athletes competing in different sports, at the University of Stirling, has yet to decide when he will now make his competitive debut on a bike, but it could come at one of the Revolution series events, the first of which takes place on November 14.

Edinburgh-born Baxter won Britain's first Olympic skiing medal at the Salt Lake City Olympics, but controvrsially lost it after he tested positve .
 

He put it down to using an American nasal inhaler, which contained a banned substance which was not present in the British version of the same product.
 

He was later cleared of any deliberate wrongdoing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport but his medal was not returned.

 

 

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