Sprinter Chambers chosen for Britain

LONDON, England -- Sprinter Dwain Chambers has been chosen for the Great Britain squad for next month's world indoor athletics championships even though the selectors had been opposed to his inclusion.

Chambers, who was banned from athletics for two years after testing positive for the performance-enhancing drug THG, will run in the 60 meters in Spain.

UK Athletics had opposed the selection of Chambers for the three-day event in Valencia because of his doping past.

But when the 29-year-old Londoner qualified for last weekend's trials and then won the event, team chiefs had little option but to select him under the rules.

The selectors made it absolutely clear that had not wanted him in the team.

In a statement they said: "The committee was unanimous in its desire not to select Dwain.

"Taking him to the World Indoors deprives young, upwardly mobile committed athletes of this key development opportunity.

"The committee felt that the selection criteria pertaining to the winner of the Trials, coupled with the manner of Dwain's performance, left them no room to take any other decision

"Our World Class Performance Programme is focused on achievement at Olympic and World level.

"On this basis, it is extremely frustrating to leave young athletes at home; eligible for Beijing, in possession of the qualifying standard and committed to ongoing participation in a drug-free sport.

"Unfortunately, the committee felt that the selection criteria pertaining to the winner of the trials, coupled with the manner of Dwain's performance, left them no room to take any other decision.

"We wish all the selected athletes well at the event but will certainly explore ways in which future selections can be made to match the true 'spirit' of our sport."

Chambers was not immediately available for comment. But Nick Collins, one of the lawyers who acted for him, said UK Athletics had no legal case to bar him.

"Dwain now has his clean sheet and a clean start," Collins said. "Perhaps now people will be generous enough to give him that fresh start. We are sure that sports lovers will applaud this selection."

The sport's world governing body -- the IAAF -- instructed UK Athletics that Chambers was eligible to run because he never retired from the sport.

UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins, who was against Chambers competing, said he and the rest of the team must accept his inclusion.

"Dwain was pleased. He said thank you, we talked through a couple of the issues, I reassured him about our support, I wished him the best," the performance director said.

But Britain's double Olympic champion Kelly Holmes told PA Sport: "Each case is different. But in his case I don't believe he should be running.

"This was an athlete who went to America, knowingly took a drug that was undetectable at the time, got caught, admitted he had taken drugs and then went on to say you can't win anything without taking drugs.

"And then he goes and competes again, I presume because he wants to win.

"I don't believe he should be running because you are representing your country. I don't think it puts us in a good light as a country allowing a cheat, who has admitted he is a cheat, to represent us.

"There are so many other people like myself who are completely dedicated, focused, committed, and went through so many things to try and be the best you can be and then there are other people knowingly cheating. I don't think it is right." E-mail to a friend