D-Day for Ohuruogu

Ohuruogu sensationally bounced back in August to win the 400 metres World Championship title just three weeks after finishing a one-year suspension for missing three out-of-competition drugs test.

Now the 23-year-old Londoner is hoping a Sports Dispute Resolutions Panel (SDRP) will overturn a British Olympic Association (BOA) by-law precluding athletes found guilty of drug test offences from competing in future Games.

Ohuruogu has plenty of support and some very valid reasons in her bid to gain reinstatement and compete in her second Olympics. At the same time after her unexpected global success in Osaka, she found herself the subject of heavy criticism and particularly a claim she had never really apologised for her misdemeanour.

Although no decision from the SDRP is expected for at least a week, if she is reinstated no doubt it will reactivate complaints that the BOA is only paying lip service to its regulation. They have already reinstated triathlete Tim Don and judo competitor Peter Cousins, who served just three months through less harsh punishments meted out by their respective federations.

However, Ed Warner, chairman of UK Athletics - who initially suspended Ohuruogu in August 2005 after she missed her third test - said the governing body will fully support her appeal.

"UKA is fully supportive and I've written to the appeals committee," said Warner, stressing she has never ever failed a drugs test and she has taken many tests in the past year.

"I believe the BOA lifetime ban is correct for those who are found with banned substances in their bodies or deliberately try evading a test. But in her case she has been adequately punished and should now be allowed to continue her career."

Dick Pound, chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), also recently voiced his view that Ohuruogu should be allowed to return to the Olympic family.

"If I was her lawyer, I would say doping offences are governed by the world anti-doping code," said the hardline Canadian. "The system in which we are working says for the first offence you serve a penalty and then you can come back in. It does not call for lifetime denial of access to the Olympics."