• London Olympics 2012

BOA facing court showdown over drugs ban

ESPN staff
November 21, 2011
Dwain Chambers served a two-year drugs ban © Getty Images
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Dwain Chambers' chances of competing at London 2012 have been boosted after the World Anti-Doping Agency claimed the British Olympic Association's stance on drugs cheats violates the global anti-doping code.

The BOA hands out a lifetime Olympic ban to doping offenders, and is the only national Olympic committee to adopt this position. But, according to WADA, the ruling is "non-compliant" with the world anti-doping code.

It is expected that the BOA will take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne in order to defend its right to uphold the ban.

After the International Olympic Committee lost a case over its ruling that drugs cheats should miss the next Games even if their ban has expired, WADA has insisted that the BOA removes its lifetime ban.

The BOA said: "We look forward to receiving the formal findings from WADA setting out how [it has] determined the BOA's selection policy is non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code.

"On behalf of the overwhelming majority of British athletes we will vigorously defend any challenge to the selection policy which bans drug cheats from representing Team GB and we will publish the process we intend to follow in the near future."

Sprinter Chambers and cyclist David Millar, both of whom served two-year drug bans, would be made eligible for Team GB selection if the BOA loses the case.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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