Ex-sprint champ Regis says Chambers should not be allowed to run in Beijing

Disgraced sprinter Dwain Chambers still hopes to run at this summer's Olympic Games

The Championships - which are open to all British club members holding the
qualifying mark in their respective events - also doubles as the Olympic trials
for the Beijing Games in August.

Victory at the trials would normally guarantee automatic selection for the
Games and should the 30-year-old Belgrave Harrier triumph at the Alexander
Stadium he is expected to challenge the Olympic lifetime ban imposed on all
anti-doping offenders by the British Olympic Association.

Regis supported Chambers' return to the sport in 2006 after completing his
two-year suspension and still thinks he should be allowed to continue his
athletics career.

However the former European 200m champion is adamant Chambers should not be
allowed to pursue his Olympic ambitions, having been well aware that drugs
offences carried a lifetime ban in Britain before he opted to use
performance-enhancing substances.

"He knew there was the rule set by the British Olympic Association that if you
take steroids you can no longer particpate in the Olympic Games," said Regis.

"So I don't think he should be allowed to compete in the Olympic Games.

"The rule was in place before he decided to take steroids and I think it
should stand.

"It's tantamount to the same situation if you've got a club rule that says no
blue jeans or you get banned.

"It's as basic as that. I think the ban should stand.

"I, like many of the athletes, believe the sport is for pure individuals to go
out there and try and do as best as they can and push their bodies to the
maximum limit of their ability.

"That's what athletics is all about. Those who cheat should have the full
weight of the law thrown at them and that's my feeling."

However Regis believes it is unfair that Chambers is finding it difficult to get
into international meetings after the 51-strong Euromeetings group made a
recommendation to promoters at this year's congress not to invite athletes who
had served two-year drug bans since 2003.

"I think he should be allowed to (compete) because the IAAF is the governing
body of our sport and they banned him for two years," said Regis.

"He served that ban and so he should be allowed to compete as a normal athlete
because he served his time and hopefully understood the damage he caused."

Regis emphasised: "Dwain should be allowed to compete in meetings for the
simple reason that he said he's repentant, he got punished and therefore he
should be allowed back into the family appertaining to the rules of our sport on
that basis.

"There are other athletes out there who have served two-year bans and competed
on the international circuit with no particular spotlight on them.

"The spotlight was thrust on Dwain, rightly or wrongly depending on how you
look on it. I just feel he's served his time and should be allowed back to
compete."

Chambers, who returned to the sport in January before then failing in his
pursuit of a rugby league career with Castleford, will be running his first 100m
race since finishing third in an international match against China, Russia and
the United States on August 19, 2006.

However the Londoner, who had a short gridiron career in 2007, showed his
ability when sharing the world indoor 60m indoor silver medal with Kim Collins
in March.