OTHER SPORT

CHAMBERS FAILS TO OVERTURN OLYMPIC BAN

Chambers will not be competing in this summer's Olympics

Friday July 18,2008

By Julia White for express.co.uk

DWAIN Chambers today lost his bid at the High Court to be allowed to compete at next month's Olympic Games.

The sprinter was refused an injunction to temporarily suspend a lifetime ban imposed by the British Olympic Association for using drugs.

He was banned by UK Athletics for two years in 2003 after testing positive for the designer steroid THG.

Chambers had argued that ban was unfair, contrary to competition law and an unreasonable restraint on trade.

But Mr Justice Mackay told a packed courtroom today: “In my judgment, it would take a much better case than the claimant has presented to persuade me to overturn the status quo at this stage and compel his selection for the Games.”

Jonathan Crystal, an expert sports lawyer representing Chambers, had told the judge: “He represents our best chance of a podium finish in the 100 metres in Beijing.”

Chambers had already qualified to compete in the Olympic team after winning the 100 metres at the trials in Birmingham last Saturday and setting his best time of the year of 10.00 seconds.

David Pannick QC, representing the BOA, told the judge that Chambers “cannot show that sportsmen and women are significantly restrained in their trade by the bylaw which only concerns eligibility for an amateur event, which takes place once every four years and for which there is no prize money”.

He added: “If the court were to make an order requiring the claimant to be selected, that would deprive another athlete of his place in the team, even though the legality of the rule may be upheld at a full trial.”