Sprinter Dwain Chambers fails to overturn ban

[July 18, 2008]  LONDON (AP) -- British sprinter Dwain Chambers failed Friday in his bid to overturn a lifetime Olympic ban because of doping, and will not be able to compete at the Beijing Games.

London's High Court refused to grant an injunction against the British Olympic Association's bylaw that bans doping violators for life from the games.

Chambers, who said he will not appeal the ruling, served a two-year ban after testing positive for the steroid THG in August 2003.

He won the 100-meter race at last Saturday's British Olympic trials in 10 seconds, but 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.

The judge added that the harmony of the British team would be upset if Chambers was included.

[Associated Press]

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