UK Athletics hire Dame Tanni to get tough on doping

UK Athletics have appointed Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson to lead a review of their anti-doping policy.

The appointment of the retired Paralympian follows the governing body's reluctant decision to select Dwain Chambers for next month's World Indoor Championships.

Chambers, 29, who served a two-year suspension for using the designer steroid THG, was chosen for the 60metres when British selectors announced the first wave of picks yesterday.

They were unaminous in their desire not to pick Chambers, preferring to groom younger sprinters in preparation for future major events.

But, after denying the likelihood of legal action by the athlete had swayed their decision, they eventually complied with their selection policy.

It is intended the review will, in future, give UK Athletics the right to choose whichever athletes they want.

"Athletics must act now, and must act decisively, to strengthen its own ability to select the athletes it wants to select," said UKA's chief executive Niels de Vos.

"Representing Great Britain must remain a privilege and not a right and the review will ensure the sport never finds itself in such a position again."

De Vos added: "I am delighted that Tanni has agreed to chair our review panel.

"She is one of the greatest athletes this country has ever seen and is a passionate advocate of drug-free sport.

"She has the respect of the global sporting community and will ensure the review delivers well thought-out and robust solutions."

Grey-Thompson, now retired from the sport she served with distinction, said: "I am working on the terms of reference for the review, but can assure everyone we will consider every available option open to us including the possibility of extended or lifetime bans from representing GB, the right to control entry into UKA events and how future selection policies are framed.

"However our task is complicated not only by the UK and Europe's legal framework, but by UKA's status as a signatory to the IAAF and World Anti-Doping Agency programmes.

"In this international arena we will lobby relentlessly to increase the penalties for drugs cheats.

"My mandate is clear and I believe the time is right for UKA to play a leading role in driving change through athletics to ensure that drug offenders cannot walk back into our sport unchallenged and untested."