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Regis Backs Chambers Olympics Ban

Tue 03 Jun, 04:09 PM


Dwain Chambers' former manager John Regis believes the former drug cheat should not be allowed to compete at this summer's Olympic Games.

Chambers runs over 100 metres at the Papaflesia International meeting in Kalamata, Greece on Wednesday and if he clocks 10.85 seconds or faster he will have achieved the qualifying time for next month's Aviva National Championships in Birmingham.

The Championships - which are open to all British club members holding the qualifying mark in their respective events - also doubles as the Olympic trials for the Beijing Games in August.

Victory at the trials would normally guarantee automatic selection for the Games and should the 30-year-old Belgrave Harrier triumph at the Alexander Stadium he is expected to challenge the Olympic lifetime ban imposed on all anti-doping offenders by the British Olympic Association.

Regis supported Chambers' return to the sport in 2006 after completing his two-year suspension and still thinks he should be allowed to continue his athletics career.

However the former European 200m champion is adamant Chambers should not be allowed to pursue his Olympic ambitions, having been well aware that drugs offences carried a lifetime ban in Britain before he opted to use performance-enhancing substances.

"He knew there was the rule set by the British Olympic Association that if you take steroids you can no longer particpate in the Olympic Games," said Regis.

"So I don't think he should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.

"The rule was in place before he decided to take steroids and I think it should stand.

"It's tantamount to the same situation if you've got a club rule that says no blue jeans or you get banned.

"It's as basic as that. I think the ban should stand.

"I, like many of the athletes, believe the sport is for pure individuals to go out there and try and do as best as they can and push their bodies to the maximum limit of their ability.

"That's what athletics is all about. Those who cheat should have the full weight of the law thrown at them and that's my feeling."

Howver Regis believes it is unfair that Chambers is finding it difficult to get into international meetings after the 51-strong Euromeetings group made a recommendation to promoters at this year's congress not to invite athletes who had served two-year drug bans since 2003.

"I think he should be allowed to (compete) because the IAAF is the governing body of our sport and they banned him for two years," said Regis.

"He served that ban and so he should be allowed to compete as a normal athlete because he served his time and hopefully understood the damage he caused."

Regis emphasised: "Dwain should be allowed to compete in meetings for the simple reason that he said he's repentant, he got punished and therefore he should be allowed back into the family appertaining to the rules of our sport on that basis.

"There are other athletes out there who have served two-year bans and competed on the international circuit with no particular spotlight on them.

"The spotlight was thrust on Dwain, rightly or wrongly depending on how you look on it. I just feel he's served his time and should be allowed back to compete."

Chambers, who returned to the sport in January before then failing in his pursuit of a rugby league career with Castleford, will be running his first 100m race since finishing third in an international match against China, Russia and the United States on August 19, 2006.

However the Londoner, who had a short gridiron career in 2007, showed his ability when sharing the world indoor 60m indoor silver medal with Kim Collins in March.

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