12 Mar 2012

Chambers shouldn't compete in London: Coe

7:00 am on 12 March 2012

The British sprinter Dwain Chambers, awaiting a court ruling to decide whether he can compete at the London Olympics, received little support yesterday from the Games' chief Sebastian Coe.

Chambers won bronze in the world indoor 60metres on Saturday, but finds himself in the ironic position of being unable to represent his country at the Olympics because of his doping-blighted past.

The former European 100m champion, who was banned for two years after testing positive for the anabolic steroid THG in 2004, is currently barred from appearing at the Olympics due to a British Olympic Association ruling.

The Association will argue before the Court of Arbitration for Sport tonight that their bylaw, which bans convicted drugs cheats from competing in the Olympic Games, does not violate the World Anti-Doping Agency code.

But if the Court of Arbitration find the bylaw to be non-compliant with the world anti-doping code, Chambers will be cleared to be selected for Team Great Britain.

Coe, an outspoken advocate for longer bans on drugs cheats, described the 60m final as resembling a rehabilitation of offenders.

American Justin Gatlin, the 2004 Athens Olympic 100m gold medallist who has served a four-year doping ban, won gold, meaning two of the three podium finishers had blighted pasts.