Dwain Chambers is stepping up his fight against a lifetime Olympics ban with the sprinter's solicitor last night revealing an appeal at the High Court could take place before the end of next week.
Nick Collins, his Leeds-based solicitor, said that was the intention after Chambers won his first 100 metres race since his last appearance over the distance almost 22 months ago in Greece last night.
The 30-year-old former drug cheat recovered from a false start at the Papaflessia meeting in Kalamata to clock a time of 10.25 seconds.
That easily bettered the standard of 10.85secs required for the three-day Olympic trials beginning in Birmingham on Friday, July 11 where the heats are on the opening day followed by the final the following afternoon.
The winner there would normally be guaranteed an automatic place in the British team, but Chambers is presently ineligible to represent Team GB.
A BOA bylaw bans all former drug cheats from ever again representing their country at the world's greatest sporting occasion.
Ford & Warren, his solicitors, have always said they would challenge the BOA regulation and now intend doing so earlier than planned in the hope of getting a High Court ruling before the trials get under way.
Collins said last night that the paperwork is almost completed and just needs tidying up and with the sprinter having achieved his aim of getting the qualifying standard, he will pursue the legal battle with BOA as quickly as possible.
'We have already issued proceedings and have been in touch with the BOA's solicitors telling them we intend appealing on Dwain's behalf,' Collins said.
'We had to wait for Dwain to clock a qualifying time to enable him to compete in the trials and he has done that.
'Now he's made it, we are finalising the paperwork and hopefully the case may even be heard in the High Court before the end of next week.'
Collins said Jonathan Crystal, the London-based barrister who is a sports specialist, will represent Chambers when the hearing gets under way.
The BOA have insisted they will oppose Chambers' reinstatement and defend their bylaw no matter what the financial cost will be.
