BOA’s challenge to WADA Games stance heading to CAS

The British Olympic Association will take the fight to keep their lifetime ban for drugs cheats to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, it was confirmed yesterday.

The BOA are to challenge the decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that the lifetime ban is “non-compliant” with their code.

If the BOA are defeated it means that cyclist David Millar and sprinter Dwain Chambers, who have previously served bans for drugs, will be able to be part of Team GB at the London 2012 Olympics.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

BOA chairman Lord Moynihan said: “It is a policy that reflects the culture and character of Team GB. The BOA and British Olympic athletes do not consider that those who have deliberately cheated should represent Great Britain at the Olympic Games.”

Two QCs, Lord David Pannick and Adam Lewis, will represent the BOA.

Both the BOA and WADA are looking for CAS to make a decision before the end of next April.

The presence of the heavyweight legal team reflects the challenge the BOA are facing. The CAS came out against a similar IOC rule, where serious doping offenders missed the next Olympics, in October and many Olympic figures believe the BOA are up against it. Lewis, who led the Football Association’s appeal against Wayne Rooney’s three-match European ban last week, and Pannick will be joined by a third lawyer, Tom Cassels of Baker & McKenzie.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The BOA’s appeal argues that the lifetime ban is an issue about being eligible for Team GB and is not an extra sanction for a doping offence.

The BOA said in a statement the appeals submission also underlines that: “The presence of athletes who deliberately cheat within Team GB would damage team morale, atmosphere and cohesiveness.

“It would also damage the credibility and reputation of the team in the eyes of the athletes and the public, and would send the wrong message to aspiring Olympians and new entrants to Olympic sport – particularly young people. Further, an athlete who deliberately cheats should not take the place in Team GB of a clean athlete.”

The BOA say the by-law has enjoyed the support of more than 90 per cent of British athletes since its inception in 1992.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Moynihan added: “The BOA selection policy is a direct expression of the commitment British athletes have made to uphold the values of fair play, integrity and clean competition – values that are at the heart of Olympic sport.”