Fury as drug cheat Dwain Chambers is allowed to run for Britain in World Indoor Championships

The decision to allow self-confessed drug cheat Dwain Chambers to run for Britain again has been greeted by fierce condemnation from the country's sporting ambassadors.

The sprinter tested positive for the anabolic steroid THG in 2003 and was banned from competition for two years.

Yet despite opposition from the UK Athletics selection panel, Chambers, 29, was yesterday told he can compete in the 60m sprint at the World Indoor Championships in Spain next month.

Unrepentant Chambers last night said: "I'm being made to feel like a leper.

"A terrible stigma has been attached to me but people need to know I am clean.

"Yes, I did something wrong.

"I did the crime - but I've done my time and now I've moved on.

"Every morning I wake up knowing I have not fulfilled my potential and that's all I'm trying to do now.

"I respect people have opinions about me and they are entitled to those. I'm not going to get into a slanging match with them.

"But they should remember I'm only doing what I'm legally entitled to do. If the law forbade me from running, I wouldn't be doing it."

But his inclusion has drawn criticism from leading former athletes.

Dame Kelly Holmes, a double Olympic champion, said: "This was an athlete who knowingly took a drug that was undetectable at the time, got caught, admitted he had taken drugs and then went on to say you can't win anything without taking drugs.

"And then he goes and competes again, I presume because he wants to win. I don't believe he should be running because you are representing your country.

"I don't think it puts us in a good light as a country allowing a cheat, who has admitted he is a cheat, to represent us."

Former Olympic 400m silver medallist Roger Black said: "It's a terrible thing for the sport because this is going to go on and on and on.

"Dwain isn't going to get any slower, he is going to be better outdoors than he is indoors. I understand him wanting to be a shining example of what you can do clean but I don't buy that.

"I think it is an example to young athletes of "Give it a go, if you get caught - it's OK, you can always come back".

"He knew what he was doing and he should be big enough to put his hands up and say, "I need to walk away".'

Chambers was given a two-year worldwide ban and a lifetime suspension from Olympic competition in February 2004.

He later admitted using performance-enhancing drugs for 18 months before failing the drugs test.

In that time, he became European champion and held the European 100m record of 9.87 seconds with Linford Christie.

While banned, he turned his hand to American football and had trials for the San Francisco 49ers.

He appeared to have turned his back on athletics until a surprise return to the track last month.

UKA had tried to prevent him competing using an "exceptional circumstances" clause but their hands were tied as he won at the weekend's trials, meaning that he automatically qualified.

The body is looking at ways to exclude future drug cheats from making a similar return.

Its World Indoors Selection Committee said it was "unanimous in its desire not to select Dwain".

It added: "Taking him to the World Indoors deprives young, upwardly mobile, committed athletes of this key development opportunity.

"It is extremely frustrating to leave young athletes at home, eligible for Beijing, in possession of the qualifying standard and committed to ongoing participation in a drug-free sport.

"In contrast, we have to take an individual whose sudden return, especially when considered against his previous actions and comments, suggests he may be using the whole process for his own ends."

Chambers's solicitor Nick Collins said the athlete had paid his penalty.

"Dwain now has his clean sheet and a clean start. Perhaps now people will be generous enough to give him that fresh start."

Chambers said: "I'm delighted by the decision that was made.

"I want to thank the selectors for what I know was a hard decision for themselves to make."

He has already represented Britain since the ban, winning 4x100m relay gold at the European Championships in 2006.