SPRINTER Dwain Chambers today failed in his bid to compete at the Beijing Olympics.
The High Court in London refused to grant an injunction against the British Olympic Association's bylaw which bans doping violators for life from the games. Chambers said he would not appeal the decision.
Chambers, who won the 100 metres race at l
ast Saturday's Olympic trials, served a two-year ban after testing positive for the steroid THG in August 2003.
Britain has until Sunday to submit its final Olympic squad.
In his deliberation, Judge Colin Mackay said Chambers had little chance of winning a medal in Beijing and that it would be unfair to deny an opportunity for a clean athlete to compete, adding that team harmony would be upset.
"His ten-second time achieved last weekend is confronted by the fact that there will be nine other athletes in Beijing who have run a faster time this year," Mackay said.
The BOA had argued that, if Chambers succeeded, the British team's reputation would be tarnished and London's ability to deliver the 2012 Games would be impaired because sponsors would be unwilling to invest.
Chambers' lawyer, Jonathan Crystal, told the court Thursday it was "an exaggerated position" and argued that his client's "redemption and rehabilitation" after testing positive for THG should be recognised.
The full article contains 223 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
