Posted: June 27, 2006

Athletics: More Chambers Performances Annulled

By Bob Ramsak
© 2006 TRACK PROFILE Report, all rights reserved

As expected, more performances by British sprinter Dwain Chambers have been annulled in the wake of his admission last winter that he had been using banned drugs prior to his failed test in August of 2003, the IAAF, track's international governing body, announced on Monday.

Chambers, 28, was among the first athletes suspended in the wake of the Balco drug scandal that emerged in the fall of 2003. Initially, his performances from August 1, 2003, the date of his failed drug test for the designer steroid THG, were erased, including his fourth place finish at the world championships that year. But following his admission to the BBC last November that he had been using the drug 18 months prior to his failed test, Chambers now finds himself with an empty competitive slate dating back to January 1, 2002.

Among the additional performances erased are his dash to the European title in 2002, all his results obtained at the European Cup in Annecy, France, in June 2002, including team results, as well as his 9.87 run at the World Athletics Final that year, which equalled the European record at that time. His disqualification in Annecy also disqualified the British men's team, whose victory there qualified the squad for the IAAF World Cup in Madrid. While Chambers' performances from the World Cup have been annulled, the IAAF will not disqualify all British performers from the competition.

"Since the points obtained by Dwain Chambers at the European Cup in Annecy in June 2002 are now to be annulled," an IAAF statement read, "the Great Britain team would not have been eligible to compete at the IAAF World Cup in Madrid in September 2002 and, as a consequence, all their points obtained in Madrid will now also be annulled but their individual performances remain valid."

The announcement comes two weeks after Chambers was finally allowed to return to competition, after agreement was finally reached on the prize money that Chambers has to repay. In his first competition back, Chambers clocked 10.07 to finish third in Gateshead on June 11, immediately propelling him back to the top of Great Britain's sprint corps. He is expected to compete in 100 meters and 4x100 meter relay on Wednesday and Thurday at the Spar European Cup in Malaga, Spain.

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