Q. What convinced the BOA to clear her?
A. This was an independent hearing of the Sport Dispute Resolution Panel. After hearing evidence from the athlete herself, and other legal arguments, they decided to unanimously clear her to compete again. The panel have not delivered their full judgement, that's expected in a couple of weeks, and only then will we be able to fully understand their thinking. In a statement today they said there were significant mitigating circumstances in her case. Christine Ohuruogu declined the opportunity to explain further at Tuesday's news conference, saying she didn't want to go back over it all. However, at the weekend, she told a Sunday newspaper that she had missed the tests through her own forgetfulness and some unfortunate circumstances. On one occasion she said she was in a car, having only just passed her test, was trying to find her destination, and unable to use the phone to let the testers know she needed to change her whereabouts. We also understand that part of her defence was the production of documentary evidence that showed she'd been drug tested close to the time of her third missed test and was clean. She has never failed a test. Q. Does the ruling set a dangerous precedent?
A. There have already been two cases involving the triathlete Tim Don, and judo player Peter Cousins, who missed drug tests triggering the British Olympic Association's automatic ban, only for the suspension to be overturned on appeal. The BOA introduced this separate by-law to exclude people who had failed drug tests. Three athletes who d tried and failed to get their bans overturned are currently excluded from the GB team. All of them had tested positive. Ohuruogu, Don and Cousins had not.
A. There have already been two cases involving the triathlete Tim Don, and judo player Peter Cousins, who missed drug tests triggering the British Olympic Association's automatic ban, only for the suspension to be overturned on appeal. The BOA introduced this separate by-law to exclude people who had failed drug tests. Three athletes who d tried and failed to get their bans overturned are currently excluded from the GB team. All of them had tested positive. Ohuruogu, Don and Cousins had not.
They had fallen foul of the missed tests rule, and the panel felt this should not be described as a serious breach of the anti-doping regulations. All three of them served suspensions from competition, so there is a feeling among athletes that they have paid their dues, and their re-instatement is correct. Q. What does the decision mean for the BOA by-law?
A. The BOA will have to look at the rule and decide what to do about it. It was conceived in good faith with the intention of keeping convicted drugs cheats out of a GB vest, and to that end it has been very successful. The rule is admired by many other national Olympic committees, and some have adopted it for themselves. The IOC recently found in favour of introducing a rule that says any athlete who tests positive in the four years leading up to an Olympics can not take part in those games. It amounts to pretty much the same outcome as the BOA ban. In the light of all this, the BOA will have to decide whether the by-law is necessary any longer, or should be kept and tweaked only to be triggered in serious cases. Q. Are their any obstacles left for Ohuruogu to clear?
A. Not unless she is going to do a Sally Gunnell and run in the hurdles as well! Q. What does the decision mean for our medal chances in Beijing?
A. On the evidence of her extraordinary win at the World Championships, you would have to believe she is in with a shout in the individual 400m and she will considerably bolster the 4x400m relay team as well. UK Athletics have already said they are looking forward to including her in their plans.
A. The BOA will have to look at the rule and decide what to do about it. It was conceived in good faith with the intention of keeping convicted drugs cheats out of a GB vest, and to that end it has been very successful. The rule is admired by many other national Olympic committees, and some have adopted it for themselves. The IOC recently found in favour of introducing a rule that says any athlete who tests positive in the four years leading up to an Olympics can not take part in those games. It amounts to pretty much the same outcome as the BOA ban. In the light of all this, the BOA will have to decide whether the by-law is necessary any longer, or should be kept and tweaked only to be triggered in serious cases. Q. Are their any obstacles left for Ohuruogu to clear?
A. Not unless she is going to do a Sally Gunnell and run in the hurdles as well! Q. What does the decision mean for our medal chances in Beijing?
A. On the evidence of her extraordinary win at the World Championships, you would have to believe she is in with a shout in the individual 400m and she will considerably bolster the 4x400m relay team as well. UK Athletics have already said they are looking forward to including her in their plans.
Source: BBC Sport
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