British Drug Cheats May Be Clear for Olympics

(ATR) The British Olympic Association will lose its appeal over whether it can ban athletes convicted of drug use from competing at the London Games, say reports in the U.K.

An appeal filed last year by the BOA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport sought to restore a lifetime Olympic ban on athletes convicted of doping. The World Anti Doping Agency had ruled that such a ban was not valid after penalties had been served.

A three-judge panel from CAS heard the appeal in March and the decision is scheduled to be released April 30. In a rare occurrence for CAS decisions, news of the appeal appears to have been leaked to the press, with British news outlets reporting the demise.

The BOA confirms it has received the decision but will not comment until a press conference scheduled shortly after the CAS decision is officially released Monday.

If the BOA appeal is denied, the way would be cleared for sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar to compete in London – if they qualify for the British team. Chambers served a two-year ban for a 2003 infraction. Millar was convicted of using EPO and also served a two-year ban. Other British athletes could be affected if the BOA ban is lifted.

BOA chief Colin Moynihan says the costly legal appeal was necessary to protect the integrity of the British Olympic team.

"But we have a duty to defend our athletes, to defend our selection policy and to ensure that the wish of our athletes to select clean athletes… is a matter of great importance to the BOA, our team and our athletes," he told ATR in January.

The CAS decision rejection of the BOA ban is likely to fuel a push to increase the maximum suspension for drug offenses to four years. The topic is expected to be a major issue at the 2013 World Anti-Doping conference in South Africa.

Written by Ed Hula.