Sprinter Dwain Chambers won't retire despite court loss
NEWSWIRE
British sprinter, banned from Beijing Games, plans to compete in 2012 London Olympics.
British sprinter Dwain Chambers wants to compete in the 2012 London Games despite a judge's refusing to overturn his lifetime doping Olympic ban before next month's Beijing Games.
Chambers' attorney had hinted at the athlete's retirement during the hearing at London's High Court, saying that his client would "go into the sunset" if he was refused an injunction against the British Olympic Assn.'s bylaw.
However, as Britain announced Craig Pickering and Tyrone Edgar as the final members of its 100-meter squad, Chambers said he would not retire.
"I just want to compete," Chambers told British broadcaster ITV. "I'm a born runner, I'm here to run and I just want to do the best I can and show what I really can do as a clean athlete.
"You've got to take the rough with the smooth on this one and I'm a tough cookie, I can deal with it. No matter what, I'm still going to go out and achieve my goals."
That includes competing in the London 2012 Olympics.
"Participation first and foremost is a key thing for me," Chambers said. "And then if I get a medal out of it, that'll be great. Then I'll be done."
Laura Wilkinson and her diving partner, Jessica Livingston, lost their appeal to compete in 10-meter synchronized platform diving at the Beijing Olympics.
An arbitrator ruled to keep 15-year-olds Haley Ishimatsu and Mary Beth Dunnichay as the U.S. synchro platform team.
Wilkinson and Livingston had filed a complaint against USA Diving and the U.S. Olympic Committee asking to be put on the team or have another competition to see whether they or Ishimatsu and Dunnichay should compete in Beijing.
Details of Friday's confidential American Arbitration Assn. hearing were not disclosed, although USA Diving called the decision "a strong ruling."
Wilkinson and Livingston finished fourth in platform synchro at a World Cup meet in the Olympic pool this year. Ishimatsu and Dunnichay were eighth at the same meet.
In their complaint, attorneys for Wilkinson and Livingston said USA Diving's selection criteria were too broadly drawn to meet the standard required by the USOC for team selection proceedings.
The younger duo was named to the Olympic team after it split four competitions with Wilkinson and Livingston at a selection camp this month in Knoxville, Tenn.
