The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has expectedly dismissed an appeal from the British Olympic Association (BOA) regarding its lifetime doping ban on British athletes from competing in the Olympic Games.
Non-compliant
The BOA had appealed to the CAS against the ruling by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) which stated that its bye-law related to the lifetime ban was non-compliant with the WADA Code.
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“The Bye-Law is a doping sanction and is therefore not in compliance with the WADA Code,” ruled the three-member CAS panel in a decision announced on Monday.
“The CAS confirms the view of the WADA Foundation Board as indicated in its decision. Therefore the appeal of BOA is rejected, and the decision of the WADA Foundation Board confirmed,” the panel stated further.
In what was seen as a losing battle, the BOA had argued that it was within its rights to have its own rules regarding Britain's Olympic representation.
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But the WADA, which cited the CAS ruling of October, 2011 in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) v United State Olympic Committee (USOC) case to determine that the BOA was non-compliant, was always expected to win this case.
Last year the CAS had ruled that the IOC Rule 45 imposing an additional ban on a doped athlete, barring him from the next Olympics, was invalid and unenforceable.
That had paved the way for the possible selection of 400m runner LaShawn Merritt who otherwise would have been ineligible for the London Olympics following a doping suspension.
Good news for Chambers, Millar
The latest ruling clears the way for sprinter Dwain Chambers, suspended in 2003 for the use of designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), and cyclist David Millar, who was suspended in 2004 after he admitted using erythropoietin (EPO), being selected on the British team.
The prospect of Chambers returning to the Olympics has divided the athletics world.
The BOA ban had the backing of Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London Games Organising Committee, marathoner Paula Radcliffe, and Namibian sprinting legend Frankie Fredericks, among others.
A majority of the current British sportspersons have supported the BOA ban, while some of the former greats including Michael Johnson, the World record holder in the 400m, have stated that Chambers needed to be given another chance.
The CAS has ruled that the BOA, which was the only body in the world to have a lifetime ban rule for first-time dope offenders, would pay for the arbitration costs.