Chambers sets the legal ball rolling on challenge to BOA
Dwain Chambers has formally begun his legal war with the British Olympic Association in an attempt to be granted permission to run in the Olympics.
The sprinter is challenging a BOA bylaw which prevents athletes who have failed drugs tests from competing in the Games.
Chambers served a two-year ban for testing positive for the steroid THG in 2003, and is not permitted to run in Beijing this summer.
But the 30-year-old has now served papers against BOA chiefs in an attempt to convince a court that their regulation is unlawful.
If granted permission to run, Chambers would become a genuine medal contender for Britain in the 100m having run a qualifying time of 10.05 seconds in Sofia on Monday.
But he would need the case to be heard before the British Olympic trials on 11 July to earn selection.
A statement from Chambers’ legal team said: “Mr Chambers will seek, from the court, a declaration that the bylaw 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, which has been in place for 16 years, conflicts with that of world governing body, the IAAF, which says athletes can return to all competition once their ban has been served.
A spokesman later yesterday: “We can confirm that the British Olympic Association has received service of proceedings from lawyers acting on behalf of Dwain Chambers.
“It will vigorously and unequivocally defend its lifetime ban on drug cheats who have brought themselves and their sports into disrepute.