HALIFAX, Canada (AFP) - Germany forward Florian Busch has been ruled eligible to continue playing in the World Ice Hockey Championships, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced on Wednesday.

The decision goes against a request by the World Anti-doping Agency which asked for a suspension for Busch, who refused to submit to a doping test at his home.

Busch did take the test later that same day which came out negative.

"The player Florian Busch thus remains eligible to compete in the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Canada," the IIHF announced in a news release.

The German Ice Hockey Association had asked the IIHF to deny WADA's request and allow Busch to continue to participate in Halifax.

The parties met Wednesday morning with Canadian organizers of the tournament where the decision to allow Busch to play was made.

The German team has maintained throughout that they were under the impression that Busch was cleared of any doping violation and eligible to play in the Worlds.

"The German Ice Hockey Association has set up such a committee which accepted and acted upon the Florian Busch case, making a decision on April 15, 2008 which was accepted completely and acted upon by the player," the IIHF said.

The 23-year-old Busch played the first two games for Germany against Finland and Slovakia, scoring a goal and an assist.

His status with the Germans has been in limbo for the past few weeks after he refused a doping test at his home on March 6. Busch later took and passed a test.

German coach Uwe Krupp defended Busch on Wednesday saying that the player was at home and for personal reasons didn't want to be tested.

"He did not want to deal with this person right there and then to come in and take a urine test," Krupp said. "From that we have this huge controversy. He realized his mistake and took the test 30 minutes later."

Krupp said young players make mistakes and Busch wishes he could go back and change things but realizes he can't.

"He was at a private moment didn't want to deal with a pushy controller," Krupp said. "He is a young man, he's 23 years old and he reacted impulsively rather than according to the governing rules which we obey, but we stand behind him in that fight."

Krupp said the players nowadays are under such constant surveillance from their domestic doping agencies that he's not surprised things have come to a head with one of his players.

"He is not a doping offender," Krupp said. "But in Europe we have this culture of the Tour de France scandals and it is a little bit of a different scene than what we are used to in hockey here.

The way the system is set up, it is so easy to make a mistake. "We all live by it," Krupp said. "But there is no room for any possible human error.

"The moment you say I am not going to do this for any personal reasons - like my wife is giving birth - you are tested positive for doping. Hard to believe."

Busch was unavailable for comment. He said previously that he had been tested at least five times in the first two months of 2008.

This is the second worlds for the Bavarian-born Busch. He competed for Germany in the 2007 worlds and the 2006 Turin winter Games.

WADA spokesman Frederic Donze said Busch decision was relayed to them on Wednesday.

"WADA was informed by the IIHF of its decision in the Florian Busch case," Donze said. "WADA is currently reviewing the decision and considering whether or not to take subsequent action."

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