The 33-year-old has informed the Maltese Olympic Committee (MOC) that he is available to ride for them at next year's Games of the Small States of Europe (GSSE) in Liechtenstein.

Millar qualifies to ride for the tiny Mediterranean island because he was born there, in Mtarfa, while his father was serving as a pilot in the Royal Air Force.

He also competed for the country in the GSSE in 2001, winning the time-trial event in San Marino, the year after he had represented in the Sydney Olympics.

Millar told the Times of Malta: "This week I spoke to Mark Cutajar [the MOC Director of Sport] and informed him that I'm ready to represent Malta in Liechtenstein next year.

"Malta holds a special place in my heart and I'm willing to bring more success to the country where I was born."

As the GSSE is not officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Millar was able to ride for Malta without affecting his eligibility for Britain.

He said: "I have great memories of the 2001 GSSE in San Marino.

"When I travelled to San Marino, I was at the top of my professional career and when I joined the Malta contingent I didn't know any of the other riders in the team.

"However, they made me feel part of the team straightaway and I really enjoyed competing for Malta.

"I knew there were a lot of expectations resting on my shoulders but I only understood the significance of my gold medal after the race as the cycling federation officials and the other members of the contingent were absolutely thrilled to have finally claimed gold in cycling.

"I hope I can repeat that experience next year."

Millar was crowned world time trial champion, riding for Britain, in 2003 but was stripped of the gold medal when he was handed a two-year ban in 2004 after he admitted taking the banned blood-boosting hormone erythropoietin (EPO) on three occasions following his arrest by police in France.

Under the rules of the British Olympic Association (BOA), any athlete who has been suspended for a doping-related offence is banned from competing in the Games.

Millar, who since completing his two-year ban, has become a strong anti-doping advocate, has claimed that he does not appeal against the controversial BOA bye-law. 

Technically, according to the Olympic Charter, an athlete is not allowed to compete for another country at the Olympics if they have represented someone else at an internationally-recognised event within the last three years, which Millar did when he rode for Britain at last year's World Championships.

But if Britain does not object, then the IOC may sanction him competing for Malta in 2012 if he wanted to.

Millar plans to compete for Scotland - the country of his parents - at this year's Commonwealth Games in New Delhi but that would not affect his eligibility for the Olympics as again it is not recognised by the IOC.

Malta made its debut in the Olympics at Amsterdam in 1928 but has never won a medal.

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