By Pete Whitfield, PA Sport.

Commonwealth Games sprint champion Kim Collins admitted he had been "taught a powerful lesson" after testing positive for a prohibited substance but escaping punishment.

The St Kitts & Nevis sprinter used Salbutamol to treat an asthma condition.

Use of Salbutamol is permitted under certain conditions and the levels found in Collins' sample were consistent with what the Commonwealth Games Federation called "normal therapeutic use" and "were not considered to be performance enhancing".

Collins declared the use of the medication at the time the test was taken but, in accordance with CGF rules, use of the medication must be declared prior to competition and verified by a doctor.

This did not happen in Collins' case - his Commonwealth Games Association failed to do so - but the CGF's court blamed the St Kitts & Nevis Olympic Committee, deciding unanimously that Collins "should not be penalised".

Collins had a "respiratory function test" today, conducted by an independent doctor, and a subsequent medical report concluded that the athlete had ""constitutional asthma with marked exercise induced symptoms".."

The CGF court's decision means that 26-year-old Collins, who raced to victory in 9.98 seconds in Saturday's final, keeps his gold medal.

A mightily relieved Collins tonight said: "This has taught me a powerful lesson and one that all athletes should learn from.

"This is my future and I will take personal responsibility for making sure all competition requirements are met.

"I would like to thank the Commonwealth Games Federation for the very fair manner in which this matter has been dealt with."

The Federation Court was reconvened this afternoon to consider a report from the acting medical adviser and decided Collins should not be penalised "as a consequence of the failure of team management and the St Kitts & Nevis Olympic Committee to submit the required declaration in advance of competition".

But CGF chairman Mike Fennell nevertheless criticised Collins.

He said: "This incident stressed the need for all athletes to take personal responsibility for ensuring all competition requirements are met."

Dennis Knight, president of the St Kitts & Nevis Olympic Committee tonight told PA Sport: "He (Collins) was very relieved. I sat with him when the court delivered its decision and he in fact thanked the court for their consideration. He was happy with the way it has come out."

"Of course any athlete must themselves take certain amounts of responsibility for their own welfare.

"But this is a procedure that should have happened at home. We have known for some time he has been using this asthma medication.

"The one weakness is that being from a small country we don't have the large structure of having medical commissions and so we don't know all the minute details.

"In the end the substance is one which is permissible and the level in which it was found was consistent with legitimate medical use."

A CGF statement, explaining the procedure for declaring the use of such medication, read: "All participating countries were made aware of the prior notification procedures ahead of the Games.

"In the case of Collins the required declaration was not supplied by his Commonwealth Games association.

"The Commonwealth Games Federation's medical commission met with Collins and representatives of St Kitts & Nevis Olympic Committee and it was acknowledged that a breach of the procedures in relation to this declaration had occurred and the matter was therefore referred to the federation court which consists of the officers of the federation.

"In accordance with the federation's constitution the court convened on July 31 to review the case and received representations from the athlete.

"The athlete confirmed that he had been diagnosed with asthma and had been using the medication for some time.

"He confirmed he had consistently declared such use when tested in and out of competition.

"The athlete volunteered his medical records to confirm his existing medical condition.

"Whilst the records were being secured, the athlete also agreed to undergo a respiratory function test by an independent doctor (selected by the federation) to confirm his condition.

"The test was undertaken this morning.

"The federation court was reconvened this afternoon to receive further reports from Dr Brian Sando, head of federation's medical commission.

"The independent medical report confirmed that Collins had 'constitutional asthma with marked exercise induced symptoms'.

"Upon considering the report from the acting medical adviser the federation court came to theunanimous decision that the athlete should not be penalised as a consequence of the failure of team management and the St Kitts & Nevis Olympic Committee to submit the required declaration in advance of the competition."