Bettini says the pledge is merely a "populist" gesture

The organisers wanted to stop Bettini from racing because he has refused to sign the International Cycling Union (UCI)'s anti-doping pledge.

But a German court decided there was no legal basis to prevent Bettini racing.

Giro d'Italia winner Danilo Du Luca has been withdrawn because of a drugs investigation in Italy.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) said on Thursday it wants a four-month doping suspension for the rider.

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A spokeswoman for the Italian team said Di Luca would not take part in the road race on Sunday. "Absolutely, he will not run," she confirmed.

CONI, which acts as the anti-drugs body for Italian sport, has been probing Di Luca's alleged links to a doping case.

He has consistently denied using any banned performance-enhancing substances or methods.

"It's a scandal," Italian media quoted Di Luca saying at the team hotel outside Stuttgart. "CONI did everything to stop me racing.

"I'm going home on the eve of the world championships and I can't even defend myself."

Meanwhile, the organisers in Germany said they accepted the court's decision to allow Bettini to race.

"The city accepts the decision and will take no further legal steps," local organisers said in a statement.

But Stuttgart mayor Wolfgang Schuster said that although there was no legal basis for preventing Bettini from racing, his inclusion damaged the "credibility" of the sport.

Bettini has described cycling's anti-doping pledge as "extortion" and said the dispute over his participation was "pure farce".

UCI president Pat McQuaid had previously acknowledged that the pledge had no legal status, so Bettini cannot be barred for not signing it.

"Concerning the participation of Bettini on Sunday, the UCI would like to guarantee formally that he can take part," he said.