Fight Against Doping -- Chambers Has Two Olympic Trials, New Austrian Doping Laws

Dwain Chambers now has two trials before he can make the Olympic team for Great Britain. One is on the track and one is in the court room. (Getty Images)Chambers has Two Trials to Make Olympic Team

Sprinter Dwain Chambers needs to win a ruling from the High Court next week to win a spot on Great Britain’s Olympic team – as well as run a time good enough to qualify this weekend at the Olympics trials.

Chambers is contesting in the court a by-law of the British Olympic Association that says all athletes who fail drug test are ineligible to compete for Britain at the Olympics.. His legal team claims the bylaw is an "unreasonable restraint of trade" and unjust. If Chambers can prove to the court that he has a case suitable for trials, the judge can issue an injunction allowing him to compete in the 100m in Beijing.

Chambers’ lawyer said they are “delighted” with the chance to bring their case to the court.

“We will respect and abide by the court's decision," Nick Collins said.

However, Chambers must first qualify for the Olympic team by finishing first or second at the country’s Olympic trials this weekend.

"Friday and Saturday -- that's when the job really matters," the 30 year-old Chambers said.

"It's going to be a hard task but I'm confident in what I'm capable of doing at my end, which is to cross the line first, and the rest will be left up to the decision that's made next Wednesday."

The BOA is confident that Chambers’ legal bid will fail.

"We will continue at that hearing to vigorously defend the bylaw and to now bring the witnesses we wanted to bring under cross-examination that's necessary to defend that bylaw," BOA chairman Colin Moynihan said.

New Austrian Doping Laws

Sports doping is now illegal in Austria.

The Austrian parliament passed legislation on Wednesday that makes doping, manipulating blood or genetic materials, and storing performance enhancing drugs criminal offenses.

The new law follows by one week the formation of a national anti-doping agency.

The law gives the agency the authority to publish the names of athletes who are found to have used performance enhancing drugs.

"This amendment is a further important step in the anti-doping fight," Austrian Sports Secretary Reinhold Lopatka said about the revised law in a statement Wednesday.

Austrian sport was rocked by a doping controversy at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin when Italian police raided the team home the biathlon and cross-country ski teams during the Games, seizing materials for blood doping.

In the following investigation, the IOC banned four athletes for life and imposed a $1 million fine on the Austrian Olympic Committee.

The new laws take effect just one month before the Beijing Olympics.

So Far, So Good for 2008 Tour de France

After two years of tumultuous, scandal plagued Tours de France, the 2008 Tour is drug-free through five stages.

Race organizers have thus far tested four teams and all 36 riders were free to ride. So far, the Tour de France has not returned a positive drug test, a welcome change from past Tours that were plagued with doping scandals. (Getty Images)

Team Garmin-Chipotle manager Jonathan Vaughters said the doping era in cycling is over.

Speaking to Reuters, Vaughters said "there is a lot of evidence" to prove his case.

"For instance when the breakaway was off. One team got in front to catch it but could not quite do it, then another could not quite do it.

"Just one team cannot come to the front and ride 60 kilometers per hour an hour for two hours and catch a breakaway. That does not happen any more. That's a positive sign."

The 2007 Tour was so beset by drug users that it was dubbed the “Tour de Farce”. Race leader Alexander Vinokourov tested positive for a blood transfusion after one stage, leading to the withdrawal of his Astana team, now banned from the Tour.

Briefs

Tim Montgomery, once known as the world’s fastest man, pleaded guilty to heroin distribution Tim Montgomery could spend five years in prison after he pled guilty to heroin possession. (AP)last Thursday. Montgomery was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of over 100 grams of heroin. His sentencing is scheduled for October 10, and could include millions of dollars in fines and several years in jail.

Acting CEO of USA Track and Field Bill Roe says that the U.S. Olympic team will be drug free in Beijing. Roe said the application of a new anti-doping system at the U.S. trials ensured a clean team. "There are a couple of things that could happen that could be negatives but for the most part this team is going to Beijing and the USOC is insisting on the cleanest possible team and they're going to do everything they can." Roe added "it's been difficult over the last few years to put the doping issue aside, it's always seemed to be there, but we're here to celebrate the selection of an Olympic team, to celebrate athletic performance. I think that's been very easy to do."

Bader Al-Saeed, secretary-general of the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee, said no Saudis will be caught doping in Beijing. “I have faith we would not face any problems, because our athletes are aware of the doping danger” he said. “They are glad they made it to that level and would not ruin it.”

Slovakian shot putter Mikulas Konopka was banned for life after failing a second drug test. Slovakian athletics said Konopka tested positive for metandienon in an out-of-competition test. Konopka’s only Olympic appearance was at the 2004 Games where he finished 10th.

Australian anti-doping authorities told Beijing bound Olympians to double check that their medicines do not contain any banned substances. Authorities highlighted the recent case of an Aussie athlete who was recently banned because she used an illegal asthma medication.

Media Watch

Xinhua news agency rounds up the eight Chinese Olympians who were found doping before the Olympics.

National Public Radio says five years after doping scandals started to rock the cycling world, the Tour is still riding strong.

NPR also asks if dopers are smarter than the drug tests.

UK’s the Guardian says the doping scandals of 2004 “still haunt” Greek Athletics.

The Sofia Echo opines about the Bulgarian weightlifting drama.

Forbes Magazine has a profile about bioengineering the “perfect athlete”.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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