British sprinter Dwain Chambers won his first 100m race since August 2006 on Wednesday, beating Mardy Scales of the US with a time of 10.26 seconds in the annual Papaflessia meet.
Chambers recently completed a two-year ban by the International Association of Athletics Federations for testing positive for the steroid THG. While his time on Wednesday was good enough to qualify for Britain’s trials for the Beijing Games, Chambers is barred for life by the British Olympic Association (BOA).
He is appealing that ban to London’s High Court, and his lawyer said after the race that case could be heard by the end of next week.
PHOTO: AP
“We have already issued proceedings and have been in touch with the BOA’s solicitors telling them we intend appealing on Dwain’s behalf,” Nick Collins said.
“We had to wait for Dwain to clock a qualifying time to enable him to compete in the trials and he has done that tonight. Now he’s made it, we are finalizing the paperwork and hopefully the case may even be heard in the High Court before the end of next week,” Collins said.
And Chambers remained hopeful of going to China.
“Beijing is still there,” he said after the race, when asked by local media if he was upset he might miss the Games. “I’ll be there, don’t worry.”
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