Sport

Walker given Olympic lifeline

Britain's European 200 metres champion Dougie Walker has been given a chance to qualify for September's Sydney Olympics by the…

Wed Jul 26 2000 - 01:00

Britain's European 200 metres champion Dougie Walker has been given a chance to qualify for September's Sydney Olympics by the High Court in London.

Walker, who will be 27 on Friday, was in court fighting his suspension from competition following a positive test for the banned substance nandrolone in November 1998.

Although he was cleared by UK Athletics (UKA) last July, the sport's world governing body, the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF), ordered his case be put before their arbitration panel.

The arbitration hearing has been postponed once and the panel is now likely to convene in August, only a month before the start of the Games.

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However, the former Scottish schoolboy rugby international will now be able to get back on the track after Mrs Justice Hallett granted him a temporary court order, pending the outcome of the arbitration proceedings, which allows him to compete again and gives him a chance to qualify for the Olympics.

On July 2nd, Walker was granted the right to challenge the IAAF after they continued their resolute policy of re-hearing a drugs case even after a national governing body had decided there was no case to be answered.

At a previous High Court appearance, the judge refused an appeal by the IAAF to overturn Walker's attempt to challenge their authority at convening a second hearing.

"I am delighted," said Walker. "I can now get back and see what happens and start enjoying it again."

His claim is for a declaration that, pending the final determination of the IAAF arbitration, he is eligible to compete under UKA and IAAF rules in athletics competitions.

He is also seeking an injunction restraining the UKA and the IAAF from taking any steps to prevent him from competing in events pending the final determination of the arbitration.

Walker said he might take part in this weekend's Scottish Championships but said going to Sydney for the Olympics was only an outside possibility.

IAAF spokesman Giorgio Reineri said he had not seen details of the judgment but said it did not constitute a challenge to the IAAF's authority over the sport.