Whittle backing ban on Chambers

Chambers will not take part in the Bejing Olympics

Former 400m and 800m Olympian Brian Whittle has backed the High Court decision to uphold Dwain Chambers' ban from competing in Beijing.

Whittle, 44, told BBC Radio Scotland that he believed the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban was right.

"I think common sense has prevailed. It would have been a terrible thing for the sport if Chambers had been allowed to go to Beijing," said the Scot.

"He knew the rules before he decided to cheat."

Under BOA rules, the sprinter was banned from future Games after testing positive for the steroid THG in 2003.

Chambers had argued that the ban was an unfair restraint of trade.

However, Whittle thinks that the circus surrounding Chambers' ban, Olympic trials win and court appeal could have been avoided.

Brian Whittle is glad Chambers won't be allowed to run in Beijing

"The whole thing could have gone away very easily if the powers-that-be, the International Athletics Federdation, would get their act together and do what most athletes want and have a four or five-year ban for a drug offence," he said.

"I applaud the British Olympic Association for taking such a hard stance because guys like Chambers have really put our sport into disrepute."

Chambers, 30, took his case to secure an injunction against the British Olympic Association by-law to the High Court, but the ruling went against him.

When asked about news that the BOA could review the lifetime ban policy after the Olympics in China, Whittle was unenthusiastic.

"The problem is that we live in this litigious society and people can claim that we are curtailing their ability to earn money," he said.

"My thought is that if you knowingly take drugs and you know what the rules are then how can you come back and then challenge that?

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"Hopefully this is the end for Dwain Chambers as an Olympic athlete. In four years' time, he'll be too old.

"But he is completely cleared to run in any other competition should anyone want him to.

"I think the sad thing is that Dwain Chambers was always a fantastic athlete. He ran under 10 seconds before he ever went near a drug."

However, Whittle thinks that there is no way back for Chambers now.

"I would honestly like to see Dwain bite the bullet, disappear and leave athletics alone," he said.