Disgraced sprinter Chambers wins round one in Olympic bid

It was decided that there will be a High Court hearing on Wednesday, where his legal team will seek an injunction preventing the British Olympic Association from banning him from selection for the Great Britain team.

In question: Dwain Chambers leaves the High Court

This is just four days before the deadline for Olympic entries but it could all be academic if the disgraced sprinter fails to finish in the first two of the 100metres at the Olympic trials being held tomorrow and Saturday in Birmingham.

Chambers is seeking a High Court order to lift a lifetime ban on competing at the Olympics imposed by the BOA after failing a drug test. Yesterday the BOA argued before Justice Mackay that the case should not be heard until next March, which would have effectively wrecked Chambers' hopes of competing in Beijing.

The judge agreed but allowed Chambers to seek a temporary injunction to allow him to compete, pending the final hearing next year.

Chambers, dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and tie, was in Court 17 to hear the arguments but was not involved personally as the rival legal teams spent a long time discussing the athletics calendar.

He smiled as the judge commented on the fact that he has to finish in the top two in this weekend's trials and again when his counsel, Jonathan Crystal, said: 'He will say he will finish in first place.'

Still smiling after the brief hearing, he said: 'I need to get back to doing what I do best and I am confident I will be crossing the line first at the weekend.'

At present, Chambers could fulfil three of the selectors' criteria by finishing in the first two but still not be chosen because he is banned under a BOA bylaw after serving a two-year ban for testing positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003.

That ban ended in 2005 and he claims it is unlawful and 'an unreasonable restraint of trade' to continue barring him from running in the Olympics. His lawyers will argue next Wednesday for an injunction only if he has succeeded on the track. Robert Englehart, QC for the BOA, said the challenge 'cannot succeed' and Chambers' prospects of success at the full trial were 'so bad' that no injunction should be granted.

Mr Crystal said they intended to prove that an injunction should be granted and added: 'We are satisfied we will succeed in that task.'