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ITN
Ohuruogu wins Olympic appeal
Ohuruogu wins Olympic appeal
Christine Ohuruogu is free to represent Great Britain at the Olympics after winning an appeal against her ban.The 400 metres world champion was suspended from representing Great Britain at the Games because she has served a 12-month ban for missing three drugs tests.All countries allow their athletes to resume international competition once they have served a suspension, but Great Britain does not allow returning athletes to compete in the Olympics.Ohuruogu has never tested positive for drugs and successfully appealed against the British ban.The British Olympic Association said: "The appeals panel unanimously agreed that the written evidence supplemented by the answers given by both parties at the oral hearing provided the necessary information to take an early decision in Christine Ohuruogu's appeal."It was agreed that any delay in making the decision would not be in the interests of any of the involved parties. The panel decided that Christine Ohuruogu's appeal had been successful due to significant mitigating circumstances."The decision means Ohuruogu can represent Great Britain at the Olympics in Beijing next year and in her home town London in 2012.BOA chief executive Simon Clegg said: "The BOA will now be pleased to welcome Christine Ohuruogu as part of Team GB in Beijing next year in the event of her successful nomination by UK Athletics."The BOA and the panel both stress that no advance notice out of competition testing is a fundamental part of ensuring an effective fight against doping in sport."Athletes must be fully aware of their obligations to keep their whereabouts information up to date at all times and must ensure that they are available for testing at the designated times and places."Two other athletes, triathlete Tim Don and judo player Peter Cousins, had previously had British Olympic bans overturned in similar circumstances.© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.
ITN | November 27, 2007
