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Chambers could disrupt meet
05/03/2008 14:12 - (SA)
Barcelona - British sprinter Dwain Chambers is not welcome at the world indoor championships in Valencia and his presence could spark protests by spectators, according to Spain's athletics chief.
"I'm not happy that Chambers is competing in the world indoors but we can't do anything about it because his country has included him in their team," Spanish Athletics Federation president Jose Maria Odriozola told sports daily AS on
Wednesday.
"We have received warnings that the British fans are going to express their opposition to him being allowed to run.
"They could cause a very serious incident and prevent the
race taking place because their shouting could stop the
athletes hearing the gun."
Chambers, 29, was banned for two years after testing
positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003.
British trials
He has returned to athletics after failing to forge a
career in American football and has been selected for the world
indoor championships, starting on Friday in Valencia.
He qualified after winning the 60m title at the
British trials, although UK Athletics have made it clear they
did not want to pick him.
Odriozola said that although he could not prevent Chambers
from competing, he was unhappy that the sprinter had not been
subject to regular doping controls over the course of the last
year.
"There is a directive that states that athletes have to
pass doping controls in the year prior to their return from
suspension and he hasn't done that because he has been involved in American football," he said.
"He should also have returned all the money he earned while he was doping, which is up to a million dollars, and as far as I know he hasn't done that.
"The British say they are bringing him to Valencia because the IAAF have given the go-ahead but I'm a member of the IAAF and I'm not aware of that being the case."
- Reuters
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