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Chambers fails in bid to overturn ban

British sprinter Dwain Chambers failed yesterday in his bid to compete at the Beijing Olympics.

London’s High Court refused to grant an injunction against the British Olympic Association’s (BOA) bylaw which bans doping violators for life from the Games. Chambers said he would not appeal the decision.

Chambers, who won the 100m race at last Saturday’s British Olympic trials in 10 seconds, served a two-year ban after testing positive for the steroid THG in August 2003.

Britain has until Sunday to submit its final Olympic squad.

In his deliberation, Judge Colin Mackay said Chambers had little chance of winning a medal in Beijing and that it would be unfair to deny an opportunity for a clean athlete to compete.

He added that the harmony of the team would be upset.

Mackay said Chambers’ argument of restraint of trade would be unlikely to succeed at a full trial, even if he could argue that there are indirect financial benefits from appearing at the amateur event.

“His 10-second time achieved last weekend is confronted by the fact that there will be nine other athletes in Beijing who have run a faster time this year,” Mackay said.

Mackay noted with frustration that Chambers only issued the proceeding against the BOA at the “11th hour” on July 3, meaning that the time to assimilate the arguments was limited.
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