Dwain Chambers may have played a big part in one of Great Britain's best showings at a World Indoor Championships at the weekend - but his future remains uncertain.
The controversial sprinter, making a comeback after a two-year drugs ban, claimed a silver medal in the 60 metres in Valencia on Friday.
Chambers plans to continue his athletics career, and possibly fight for the right to compete in the Olympics in Beijing, but he may find himself with nowhere to run.
Euromeetings - the group of leading European meetings - indicated to their 51 members over the weekend that competitors who have served doping bans of two years or more since 2003 should be excluded from events.
If that happens Chambers would be probably be left only with domestic meetings to test himself.
He is, however, considering launching a legal challenge against a British Olympic Association bylaw banning drug offenders from competing at the Games.
Despite the BOA's insistence they can justify their rule, Chambers' legal team feel they can pull off a victory in a case which could go directly to the High Court rather than through the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
But Chambers, who will be meeting his lawyer Nick Collins this week, still has worries over how he could fund his career without receiving an income from the sport.
He also has to continue repaying the £100,000 debt for prize money earned during the period he was cheating to the International Association of Athletics Federations.
"There may not be a comeback," said Chambers - who won £10,000 for his joint second with Kim Collins, behind Olusoji Fasuba, in Valencia.
"As I said earlier, this is my Olympic Games. I have my medal; I'm happy - and let's hope there's a chance for me to move forward.
"If not, then I'll pursue a career elsewhere."
Nick Collins was upbeat about Chambers' future athletics career on Sunday. However, there will be some hard talking at their meeting in London - where no doubt every aspect of the obstacles facing the sprinter will be considered.
Chambers' eye-catching 60m performance proved he is still a world-class talent.
Fellow sprinter Jeanette Kwakye and Kelly Sotherton, in the pentathlon, followed as Britain secured three silvers in the space of 20 minutes.
Chris Tomlinson added a silver on the second day in the long jump, and Phillips Idowu capped a wonderful weekend by winning the triple-jump title.
It was easily the best British performance since 1999 - when a much more experienced side returned from Maebashi, Japan, with three gold and silver medals.
"I've been very pleased, although there's been a few disappointments," said UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins.
He did not name those who under-performed. But shot putter Carl Myerscough, another former drug cheat, must have topped the list.
Myerscough, unlike Chambers, has been encouraged to represent his country by UKA since his return from an equally serious offence. He managed just one throw and did not make the final.
Collins did not set a medals quota for the squad, insisting many were using the championships as part of their Olympic preparations, but did suggest beforehand five medals were possible.
He said: "Who wouldn't be satisfied to come away a gold and four silver medals? That is around what I thought.
"They were left to set their own individual targets, and I'm happy so many attained what they set out to do.
"The younger members who we brought here for experience have learned from the trip. These may be World Championships, but it is good place to blood them.
"It's been great for everybody to study in the school of hard knocks.
"Some will have been satisfied with how they performed. Others must be realistic and realise in the future they must raise their game."
More news from SportingLife.com
