UK Athletics allows sprinter Dwain Chambers to run at World Indoor trials after legal threat

British sprinter Dwain Chambers was cleared Tuesday to run at the national indoor championships, despite attempts to bar him from competing in a drug-testing dispute.

Having served a two-year doping ban in the BALCO scandal, Chambers returned to the sport a month ago after making an unsuccessful attempt to start a new career in American football.

UK Athletics had ruled that Chambers _ the former European 100-meter champion _ could not compete for Britain because he has not been drug tested since his ban ended two years ago. UKA said Chambers must be drug tested for a 12-month period.

However, UK Athletics backed down Tuesday after Chambers' lawyers threatened to apply for a court injunction to allow him to compete.

The decision means Chambers can run at the championships in Sheffield this weekend in his bid to win a spot on Britain's team for the World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, from March 7-9.

Last Saturday, Chambers cruised to the 60-meter qualifying time for the indoor British trials, winning in 6.60 seconds at a meet in Birmingham.

UKA chief executive Niels de Vos expressed his disappointment at the outcome of the legal deliberations.

"I believe that the BALCO scandal and the recent imprisonment of Marion Jones have significantly damaged the credibility of athletics as a sport," de Vos said. "Our view is that all established athletes must participate in the out-of-competition testing program for a continuous 12 months prior to competing for Great Britain. Dwain is not in that position.

"However, we recognize that we do not have sufficiently strong legal grounds to refuse him an invitation given our published invitation policy. Reluctantly therefore, Dwain Chambers has been informed he is permitted to participate."

Chambers' lawyer, Nick Collins, welcomed the decision.

"Both myself and my client are delighted at the him being given the opportunity to compete in the trials on Sunday," he said. "We are grateful to Mr. de Vos and are looking forward to working with him in the future."