ATHLETICS:Sprinter Dwain Chambers and shot putter Carl Myerscough, who have served doping bans after testing positive for anabolic steroids, were named yesterday in the British athletics team for the London Olympics.

The pair are the beneficiaries of a Court of Arbitration ruling which overturned the British Olympic Association’s lifetime Games bans for drug offenders.

Neither athlete was present at a news conference at the team’s headquarters near the Olympic Park and chef de mission Andy Hunt had a diplomatic answer ready when he was questioned about their selection.

“We always said that once the by-law fell away, any athlete who is eligible to compete for Team GB would be welcomed into the team,” he said. “There is no two-tier team, we will absolutely treat every athlete in the same way. We’ll give every athlete the same support.”

Seventy-one athletes were named in addition to the six marathon runners who had already been selected in the largest British track and field team since the Barcelona Olympics 20 years ago.

The Olympics start on July 27th.