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Lawyers representing sprinter Dwain Chambers said they had filed papers in a London court in a bid to outlaw the BOA policy of lifetime bans for drugs cheats.

Chambers, who served a two-year ban for steroid use, says he wants to compete in Beijing and has easily achieved the BOA's qualifying standard.

"Mr Chambers will seek from the court a declaration that the bylaw is unenforceable, a declaration that he is eligible for inclusion in Team GB for Beijing 2008 and an order that, subject to his achieving first or second place at the UK trials, he be included in Team GB for the Beijing Olympic Games," the statement from Chambers' representatives said.

"The basis of Mr Chambers' claim is that the bylaw is an unreasonable restraint of trade in that it goes further than is reasonably necessary for protecting the interests of BOA and the public; and further, that the bylaw is inherently unfair and unreasonable given the surrounding circumstances."

The BOA have reacted swiftly with a strong-worded statement: "In the interests of the British Olympic movement and the athletes who aspire to line up at an Olympic Games and our youngsters looking for Olympic glory in London, the BOA confirms that it will vigorously and unequivocally defend its eligibility bye-law on drug cheats who have brought themselves and their sports into disrepute."

IAAF vice-president Sebastian Coe has backed the BOA and defended their right impose a lifetime Olympic ban on Chambers.

"I actually genuinely think that a governing body of a sport, or a sports organisation, has to do whatever it thinks is necessary to maintain the integrity of the sport," said the twice Olympic 1,500 metres champion.

"And I don't think that should be challenged. The sadness of it is that we are going to be inevitably in a six-week period of stuff that we shouldn't be. We can't ignore it.

"I've heard for far too many years the initial response that the primary concern is for the athlete. Actually it's not. The primary concern is the well-being of the sport. If you don't do that, the athletes can go home. We're protecting 99 percent of athletes who chose to do this (athletics) for the right reasons."

The UK athletics trials take place in Birmingham over the weekend of July 11-13 and Chambers, who ran 10.05 seconds in Sofia on Monday, is favourite to win the 100 metres, a victory that would normally guarantee Olympic selection.

Several athletes have previously successfully challenged their lifetime BOA bans, basing their appeals on mitigating circumstances or the injustice of their initial doping offences.

Chambers, however, admitted his offence and is the first to challenge the legality of the BOA bylaw.

Last week several leading British Olympians, including Steve Redgrave and Kelly Holmes, were among more than 100 sportsmen and women who signed a petition supporting the BOA's stance.

SportingLife / Eurosport