Athletes Petition Against Chambers
Chambers is seeking to overturn in the High Court a ban but in place by the British Olympic Association (BOA) which has a by-law imposing life bans on any athlete who fails a drug test.
But Chambers, who tested positive for a steroid in 2003, is set to challenge the ruling at the High Court this week after reaching the qualifying standard.
The British Athletes’ Commission (BAC) asked athletes to sign a petition opposing the by-law’s removal with the likes of Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes amongst those in opposition to Chambers.
Redgrave said: ‘Every athlete that competes for Britain knows the rules. If an athlete takes the risk of cheating they have to accept the penalties that go with this.’
The BAC stressed the petition was not a witch-hunt against the 30-year-old Chambers, but an attempt to ensure the by-law remained as a “strong deterrent” to future cheats and hopes the petition will force Chambers to reconsider any potential legal action.
Chambers boosted his campaign to compete in Beijing this August by twice running inside the Olympic qualifying standard at a meeting in Germany this weekend.
The British Olympic trials take place on 11th July, with the BOA committed to naming its team for Beijing before 20th July, so any appeal has less than a month to succeed.
The BOA have not yet received any proceedings from Chambers’ lawyers but in a statement issued over the weekend the BOA said they would ‘vigorously and unequivocally defend its lifetime ban on drug cheats who have bought themselves and their sports into disrepute.’
