DWAIN Chambers will not find out if his lifetime Olympics ban will be lifted until today, the High Court judge hearing his case confirmed yesterday.
The sprinter is seeking a court order to temporarily suspend a ban on competing in Games events imposed by the British Olympic Association (BOA) because of his past use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Jonathan Crystal, representing the 30-year-o
ld athlete, is trying to convince Mr Justice Mackay that the BOA bylaw is unfair, contrary to competition law and an unreasonable restraint on trade. But after hearing Crystal's arguments in favour of Chambers being allowed to compete in Beijing next month, Justice Mackey confirmed there would be no decision until today.
Mr Crystal, an expert on sports law, told the court this morning Chambers was eligible and welcome to compete next month in Beijing according to the International Olympic Committee. "He represents our best chance of a podium finish in the 100 metres in Beijing," he said. "There would be no restriction to his selection for any other nation, save possibly Denmark and China."
He has already qualified for the Olympics after winning the 100 metres trials in Birmingham and setting his best time of the year of 10.00 seconds.
His attempt to win an injunction suspending the by-law before a full trial of the issues in March next year will be a test of the rule which bans those who have used performance- enhancing drugs from the British team unless there are mitigating circumstances.
Chambers knew that, having served a two-year suspension for using the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), there was no hope in pursuing the mitigating circumstances route through the BOA.
Mr Crystal told the judge that after Monday's selections, no athlete in direct competition with Chambers will miss out on going to Beijing if he is allowed to compete.
The full article contains 316 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
