Chambers gets reluctant nod

12:04pm Wednesday 13th February 2008

UK ATHLETICS have made it abundantly clear they did not want to select Dwain Chambers for the World Indoor Championships in Valencia.

The 29-year-old was named in the Great Britain side to travel to Spain next month after his victory in the 60 metres in a worldclass time of 6.56 seconds at the trials in Sheffield at the weekend.

Also included in the squad was Teesside long jumper Chris Tomlinson, also a winner at Sheffield.

However, UKA had already made it clear they did not want Chambers to represent Great Britain and issued a stronglyworded statement when they announced the first wave of selections.

The statement read: The committee was unanimous in its desire not to select Dwain.

Unfortunately, the committee felt that the selection criteria pertaining to the winner of the trials, coupled with the manner of Dwain's performance, left them no room to take any other decision.

Taking him to the World Indoors deprives young, upwardly mobile committed athletes of this development opportunity.

Our World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) is focused on achievement at Olympic and World level.

On this basis, it is extremely frustrating to leave young athletes at home, eligible for Beijing, in possession of the qualifying standard and committed to ongoing participation in a drug-free sport.

We have to take an individual whose sudden return, especially when considered against his previous actions and comments, suggests that he may be using the whole process for his own ends.'' Performance director Dave Collins insists UKA have not bowed to the pressure of a potential legal battle and was adamant memories of the costly court action with Diane Modahl, which bankrupted the sport a decade ago, had not been an issue.

I can say with confidence that wasn't on my mind,'' said Collins.

He insisted he and his co-selectors followed the same formula they used at all meetings and had not been pressurised by anyone into ignoring Chambers' claims.

Collins said: All other things apart, he performed well at the w e e k e n d .

There was a clear argument to take him and he could bring home a medal.'' Y e t Collins is not convinced of C h a m b e r s ' commitment and believes he may return to play American football.

Collins said: I don't have personal evidence to that effect, but I am looking at his actions and saying is this a guy who is going to be committed to athletics in the long term'?

Is he going to come in and be part of the process and put himself on the out-of-competition register. I have not asked Dwain if he is going to do that.

It was frustrating picking him and I wonder is he being driven to do this for personal publicity?'' Chambers had a positive answer after hearing he would be lining up in the Palacio de Deportes Luis Puig when the 60m heats get underway on March 7.

I'm delighted by the decision,'' said Chambers, knowing his only other chance of gaining a place was through his lawyers claiming restriction of trade.'' I want to thank the selectors for what I know was a hard decision for them to make.'' Chambers, who last ran for his country in the 2006 European Championships 4x100m gold medal winning side, is determined to justify their faith.

The Londoner, said: I'll let my legs to do the talking and bring home a medal for my country.'' Collins insisted Chambers, who is ineligible for UK Sport lottery money because of his drug conviction, will be treated exactly the same as every other member of the squad.

We will underwrite his expenses from UKA funds," he said.

Chambers will not be given the opportunity of using this Saturday's Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham as a preparation.

Fast Track who organise the meeting on behalf of UK Athletics have taken the decision that his appearance would not benefit the event.

Jon Ridgeon, FT's managing director, said: Under IAAF rules, the event promoters have the right to invite whoever they wish, and we do not want the world's No 1 indoor meet to be overshadowed by this issue."

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