Dwain Chambers looks to avoid courtroom in Olympic battle

Dwain Chambers remains keen to overturn his lifetime Olympic ban but admits he would like to take "the path of least resistance" to do so.

Chambers is banned from competing in the Olympics under a British Olympic Association (BOA) bylaw after serving a two-year drugs ban following his positive test for steroids in 2003.

The 33-year-old failed in a previous bid to have the ban overturned in 2008, but has been given new hope after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that the International Olympic Committee's rule 45 - which meant anybody given a ban longer than six months was banned from the next Olympics - was "invalid and unenforceable".

The BOA are determined to uphold their ban and Chambers has previously shown little appetite for another expensive court battle, but the sprinter said: "The Olympics is the pinnacle for all athletes.

"For all British athletes, to be able to pull on a British vest and compete in a home Olympics would be a great privilege.

"It's something I would love to do if it was a possibility."

Speaking to reporters after addressing an assembly at Hillview School for Girls in Tonbridge, Chambers added: "We would like to go down the path of least resistance.

"If we can do it without going to a courtroom, I'll be happy with that."

The BOA believe their ban differs from the IOC rule on several grounds, especially the appeals procedure built into it.

However, Chambers' manager, Siza Agha - a barrister - added: "In my opinion that is not valid because the BOA bylaw has restrictions on which people can appeal."