Athletics: Christine Ohuruogu sets sights on London

Nov 28 2007 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

CHRISTINE OHURUOGU was celebrating yesterday after having her Olympic ban overturned and has already set her sights on winning a medal in London 2012.

Britain’s 400m world champion won her appeal to the British Olympic Association to lift the bylaw which refuses to allow athletes back into the sport if they have committed a doping offence.

Ohuruogu (right) was banned from track and field for a year after missing three drugs tests – returning in dramatic fashion in August to win the 400m world title in Osaka, Japan.

But, even though she had been cleared by UK Athletics, she still had to convince the BOA otherwise she would not have been allowed to compete for Britain in the Games again.

“I am really happy,” said Ohuruogu after learning the news, having spent three-and-a-half hours at a hearing in London in front of the Sports Dispute Resolution Panel.

She said, “I am not a drugs cheat. I have been tested constantly this year and I have proved I am clean.

“It has been a stressful time, but the way I ran in Osaka showed that it has not affected me.”

Ed Warner, the chairman of UK Athletics, spoke publicly for the first time about how three other British athletes have missed two tests – knowing one more failure would land them in the same predicament as Ohuruogu, who yesterday offered those involved some heartfelt advice.

She said, “I would tell them to get as much help as possible from their coaches, from the people around them, just to remind them not to miss the test. When I think back about what has happened to me, I could kick myself. I have said it was my fault.”