BOA v WADA

[Geoff]

4. We must have one common set of rules across ALL sports and countries.

There certainly needs to be an umbrella body setting the rules across all sports and countries. Whether the rules and the testing regimes have to be the same for eg Curling as they are for Athletics I am not really convinced. If all sports are to submit to WADA rules they will need to be convinced that the rules are appropriate to their sport, otherwise won't the future just consist of disagreement and foot dragging?

I tend to agree and, of course, there are many issues to consider. One thing I am clear about is that an Olympic ban on its own should not be adopted. Why the Olympics and not a World Championships? Bans must be a standard length and 4 years covers all cycles of major championships. No point, though, having bans and sanctions if they are not legally enforcible hence the slow move back towards 4 years.

[Geoff]

London 2012 Olympics: Dwain Chambers set for Crystal Palace return if lifetime drug ban is overturned
Dwain Chambers’ banishment from domestic grand prix meetings is set to end if, as expected, the British Olympic Association is forced to drop its lifetime ban for former drug cheats.

Chambers, 34, has not taken part in a UK Athletics invitation meeting since the 2006 Gateshead Grand Prix because the governing body has a rule that excludes athletes guilty of serious drug violations from its home events outside national championships.

But, according to a senior UK Athletics source, Chambers is likely to be given the chance to take part in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the Aviva London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on July 13-14 — two weeks before the start of the London Olympics. It would be the first time Chambers had run in a Diamond League event.

......It says the only reason it would allow Chambers to run at Crystal Palace is because it would be in the best interests of the Olympic team.

......EuroMeetings, the body representing the main meet promoters across the continent, has since withdrawn a recommendation to its members not to invite former drug cheats.


......There could be even more good news for the Londoner after UK Sport confirmed yesterday that, should the BOA be forced to scrap its lifetime ban, it would also look again at its own rule that bans drug cheats from receiving Lottery funding.

Liz Nicholl, UK Sport chief executive, said: “While we are not minded to change our current position, the UK Sport board has agreed that should the BOA bylaw be overturned it would be sensible for us to review it.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympi ... urned.html

All this follows a predicted legal path despite what chief executives and others have said in the past. It is not really possible to impose unilateral bans/sanctions anymore even if there is a degree of holding the moral high ground.

[Geoff]

ATHLETICS
The Court of Arbitration for Sport will announce whether Dwain Chambers and other athletes previously banned for drugs offences can compete for Team GB during London 2012 at 1500 BST on Monday.

Stand by for the anticipated over the top media coverage!