Chambers hopes for Olympic appeal date

Published on Tuesday 8 July 2008 23:23

THE British Olympic Association will appear at the High Court today for a Directions Hearing on the case issued against it by Dwain Chambers.

The judge will duly set a date for the full hearing with the 30-year-old hoping the case can be decided before the Olympic trials start on Friday.

Chambers is challenging a BOA by-law which bans athletes who have failed drug tests from competing at the Olympics. But renowned Olympians such as Dame Kelly Holmes and Sir Steve Redgrave have publicly backed the BOA's stance.

Chambers, who served a two-year ban after testing positive for the steroid THG in 2003, is favourite to win the trials after running the fastest 100m by a British athlete this year when he recorded an Olympic qualifying time of 10.05 seconds in Sofia last month.

But in order for him to make it to Beijing his barrister Jonathan Crystal will need to convince the court that the BOA regulation is unlawful.

"The basis of Mr Chambers claim is that the by-law is an unreasonable restraint of trade in that it goes further than is reasonably necessary for protecting the interests of the BOA and the public," said Chambers' legal team in a statement.

"And further, that the by-law is inherently unfair and unreasonable given the surrounding circumstances.

"Mr Chambers will seek, from the court, a declaration that the by-law is unenforceable; a declaration that he is eligible for inclusion in Team GB for Beijing 2008; and an order that, subject to his achieving first or second place at the UK trials, he be included in Team GB."

The BOA rule – in place for 16 years – is at odds with the position of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), which says athletes found guilty of doping can return to all competitions once they have served their bans.

There have been successful appeals against the lifetime ban – the last being 400m world champion Christine Ohuruogu's – but nobody has challenged the legality of the rule in the courts.

The BOA will not put back the announcement of the team for Beijing, currently scheduled for 20 July, so any appeal by Chambers has less than two weeks to succeed.

The BOA said in a statement that it intends to "vigorously and unequivocally defend its lifetime ban on drug cheats."