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Ohuruogu overturns her Olympic ban

  • Story Highlights
  • World 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu cleared to compete at Beijing 2008
  • British runner overturns lifetime Olympic ban following an appeal on Monday
  • The 23-year-old Londoner had missed three out-of-competition drugs tests
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LONDON, England -- World 400 meters champion Christine Ohuruogu has been cleared to compete at Beijing 2008 after winning her appeal against a lifetime Olympic ban.

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Christine Ohuruogu was cleared to compete for Britain at the Olympic Games in Beijing next year.

The 23-year-old has overturned a British Olympic Association by-law which stops athletes found guilty of drug-test offences from competing in future Games.

"I was very relieved when I heard the verdict and now I can move on," Ohuruogu said. "I would love to compete for Britain at the Beijing Olympics if I am selected for the team."

The Londoner missed three out-of-competition drug tests between October 2005 and July 2006, thus incurring a one-year suspension from UK Athletics.

She returned from that ban in August, and shocked the athletics world by claiming the 400m title at Osaka in Japan.

Ohuruogu made her case to a Sports Dispute Resolutions Panel on Monday, where she sought to follow the precedent set by former world triathlon champion Tim Don and judo athlete Peter Cousins, who both successfully appealed against the BOA ban in similar circumstances.

Ohuruogu admitted blame for missing the tests for the first time on Sunday, but said it was because she refused to let the officials come to her parents' house where she was living at the time.

"I am really happy," she said on Tuesday. "I am not a drugs cheat. I have been tested constantly this year and I have proved I am clean. It has been a stressful time, but the way I ran in Osaka showed that it has not affected me."

Her coach Lloyd Cowan added: "I'm so pleased for her, we now just have to move on and get this cloud over our head out of the way.

"It's not only wonderful news for Christine but for the nation as well, and as her coach I will be doing everything possible to assist her to win an Olympic medal next summer.

"She is such a humble person, she deserves that success. Now it is a case of walking away from what happened and looking to the future."

The BOA said in a statement that there had been sufficient evidence to make an early decision in the appeal.

"It was agreed that any delay in making the decision would not be in the interests of any of the involved parties," it said.

"The panel decided that Ohuruogu's appeal had been successful due to significant mitigating circumstances."

Chief executive Simon Clegg added: "The BOA will now be pleased to welcome Christine Ohuruogu as part of Team GB in Beijing next year in the event of her successful nomination by UK Athletics.

"The BOA and the panel both stress that no-advance notice out-of-competition testing is a fundamental part of ensuring an effective fight against doping in sport.

"Athletes must be fully aware of their obligations to keep their whereabouts information up to date at all times, and must ensure that they are available for testing at the designated times and places." E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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