BOA chairman optimistic life bans will be upheld

LONDON (Reuters) - British Olympic Association (BOA) chairman Colin Moynihan expressed cautious optimism on Monday that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will uphold Britain's lifetime Olympic ban for drug offenders.

Chairman of the British Olympic Association Lord Moynihan attends a news conference in central Sydney

Chairman of the British Olympic Association Lord Moynihan attends a news conference in central Sydney





The independent Lausanne-based body met in London to hear a BOA appeal against a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) ruling that a lifetime ban is illegal. A decision is expected in mid-April.

Under the BOA rule, sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar will miss this year's London Games. WADA rules specify a maximum two-year ban for a first offence.

"I am cautiously optimistic," Moynihan told Sky Sports television outside the BOA's London headquarters. "I think we put a really strong case today on behalf of the athletes.

"Our selection policy is there with overwhelming support from the athletes. That simply says that we will only accept clean athletes, we won't select those who have knowingly cheated clean athletes out of a place on the team.

"We put that very strongly to the tribunal and had great legal representation. Seven and a half hours later I am cautiously optimistic. We couldn't have put a stronger case."

Chambers, who won a bronze medal in the 60 metres at the world indoor championships in Istanbul at the weekend, said he had been trying not to think about the CAS decision.

"I'm just going to train because that's all I know how to do," he said. "I can't try to be a lawyer, I'm not qualified."

However, London Games organising committee chairman Sebastian Coe, also talking to reporters in Istanbul, said Chambers should not be allowed to compete.

"For me this is not anti-Dwain Chambers," Coe said. "I do believe this is actually about the autonomy of sporting organisations to make judgments and byelaws that they think are in the best interest of their sports."

(Reporting by John Mehaffey; Editing by Ed Osmond)


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: Reuters


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world