Ruling on Chambers to come Friday

A hearing was held today at London's High Court to determine if a temporary injunction should be granted to sprinter sprinter Dwain Chambers, whose earlier doping violation resulted in a lifetime ban by the British Olympic Assn. A ruling will be announced Friday.

Chambers, who won the 100-meter race at the recent British Olympic trials and would otherwise automatically qualify for the Olympic Games, has already served a two-year suspension handed down by the IAAF, which governs track and field.

Judge Colin Mackay, however, noted during the hearing that the sprinter would know that being caught taking steroids resulted in a life ban from the Olympics.

The sprinter’s lawyers argued that Chambers had expressed regret for his past behavior and deserved a place in Beijing, adding that he would strengthen Britain’s 100-meter squad.

The deadline to make the team for Beijing is Sunday.

The 30-year-old Chambers was banned after testing positive in August 2003 for the steroid THG, the drug at the center of the BALCO scandal.

-- Debbie Goffa

Photo: Dwain Chambers leaves the High Court in central London. Credit: Shaun Curry/AFP/Getty Images