Chambers, who served a two-year ban for steroid use, says he wants to compete in Beijing and has easily achieved the BOA's qualifying standard.

 

The statement from Chambers' lawyers said: "Mr Chambers will seek from the court a declaration that the bylaw is unenforceable, a declaration that he is eligible for inclusion in Team GB for Beijing 2008 and an order that, subject to his achieving first or second place at the UK trials, he be included in Team GB for the Beijing Olympic Games.

 

"The basis of Mr Chambers' claim is that the bylaw is an unreasonable restraint of trade in that it goes further than is reasonably necessary for protecting the interests of BOA and the public; and further, that the bylaw is inherently unfair and unreasonable given the surrounding circumstances."

 

The UK athletics trials take place in Birmingham over the weekend of July 11-13 and Chambers, who ran 10.05sec in Sofia on Monday, is favourite to win the 100 metres, a victory that would normally guarantee Olympic selection.

 

Nick Collins, Chambers' lawyer, is hoping the BOA will agree to the case being heard next week, before the trials but seems unlikely.

 

Several athletes have previously successfully challenged their lifetime BOA bans, basing their appeals on mitigating circumstances or the injustice of their initial doping offences.

 

Chambers, however, admitted his offence and is the first to challenge the legality of the BOA bylaw.

 

Last week several leading British Olympians, including Sir Steve Redgrave and Dame Kelly Holmes, were among more than 100 sportsmen and women who signed a petition supporting the BOA's stance.

 

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012 who is also a vice president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said Chambers was making a mistake.

 

He said: "I think it is distracting. It is damaging and this is clearly an issue that my sport has to deal very seriously with,.

 

"We test more than any other sport both domestically and internationally and we confront this problem head on.''

 

Colin Jackson, the former world record holder for the 110m hurdles, supported Coe.

 

The Welshman said: "You know the rules of the sport, so before you embark on anything, you must understand the consequences.

 

"Dwain is an adult, and he chose the option to take drugs, and now he is paying the penalty for it.

 

"You should accept the penalty when you do such things and so in that aspect, I have no sympathy at all.

 

"For him to be bitching and moaning about not being able to take part in the Olympics Games when he has done what he has...Dwain had a choice, he could always have said 'no'.

 

"I can't see any sense in why he wants to take on a legal challenge."

 

Jackson, 41, feels Chambers should forget his whole campaign, for the good of the British squad heading out to the Beijing Games.

 

Jackson once trained with Canadian Mark McKoy, after he had admitted taking performance-enhancing drugs while training with Ben Johnson, and Linford Christie, who tested positive for banned anabolic steroids in 1999.

 

Jackson was also previously in businness with Christie.

 

He said: "Dwain is being very irresponsible to the other Team GB members in his approach.

 

"Why would you want to create a disturbance for others in your team?

 

"Every athlete out there representing Great Britain will be asked, 'What do you think about being in a team with Dwain Chambers?'

 

"Now is that fair to have that burden put on them?

 

"He should not be able to look for sympathy from anyone else, just sit back, shut up and get on with it."

 

"It has always been the case that you know if you get banned for drugs, you would not be able to take part in the Olympics, so all this stuff about rehabilitation does not exist.

 

"The rules are simple - if you get caught, you pay the punishment.

 

"If he wants to run in the IAAF meets, then let him get on with it, no-one is stopping him from doing that.

 

"But, as far as the Olympics are concerned, you know the rules and so play by them."

 

A statement from the BOA said: "In the interests of the British Olympic Movement and the athletes who aspire to line up at an Olympic Games and our youngsters looking for Olympic glory in London, the BOA confirms that it will vigorously and unequivocally defend its lifetime ban on drug cheats who have brought themselves and their sports into disrepute."

 

A spokeswoman for UK Athletics confirmed that if Chambers is successful in winning his appeal then they would pick him for Beijing providing he met their selection criteria.

 

 

She said: "The UK Athletics Board fully supports the BOA byelaw and are unanimous in their desire to see it upheld, however the Board will respect the outcome of these High Court proceedings."