Chambers must wait for Olympic verdict

Updated 15.37 Thu Jul 17 2008

Keywords: british olympic association, sport, olympics, beijing olympics, olympic games, dwain chambers, athletics

Dwain Chambers will find out on Friday if he can compete for Great Britain at the Olympic Games.

The sprinter attended a High Court hearing, which he hopes will lead to temporary injunction to suspend the British Olympic Association bylaw that denies selection for British athletes that have failed dope tests in the past.

Mr Justice Mackey told the court he will give his decision on the application on Friday

Chambers served a two-year suspension from international competition and claims the effective life ban from the Olympics is a restraint of trade.

Jonathan Crystal, who is representing Chambers, said: "If he does not go to Beijing, he walks into the sunset because that is how he will be seen.

"If he does go to Beijing, that will be a springboard for further opportunities."

David Pannick QC, representing the BOA, said Chambers was seeking a court order designed to require the BOA to select him even though the bylaw has not been ruled illegal.

He said: "He cannot show that sportsmen and women are significantly restrained in their trade by the bylaw which only concerns eligibility for an amateur event, which takes place once every four years and for which there is no prize money."

Mr Pannick said the courts have emphasised in the past that policy decisions were best taken by the sports regulatory bodies, not judges, and the courts should only intervene in exceptional circumstances.

He added: "If the court were to make an order requiring the claimant to be selected, that would deprive another athlete of his place in the team, even though the legality of the rule may be upheld at a full trial.

"There is no basis for preferring the interests of the claimant over the interests of that other competitor."

The judge, Mr Justice Mackey, told the court he will give his decision on the application on Friday.