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Dwain Chambers

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Dwain Chambers
Dwain Chambers
Personal information
Full nameDwain Anthony Chambers
Height5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)
Weight13 st 1 lb (83 kg)
PositionWing
Dwain Chambers
Medal record
Men's athletics
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 1999 Sevilla 4x100 m relay
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Sevilla 100 m
World Indoor Championships
Silver medal – second place 2008 Valencia 60 m

Dwain Anthony Chambers (born 5 April 1978 in London) is a sprinter, English rugby league player formerly with the Castleford Tigers in the European Super League[1] and former American football player.

Athletics career

Chambers showed enormous promise as a junior, training with partner Dan Parks. Chambers won the 100 metres and sprint relay gold in the 1995 European Juniors and setting a new world junior record at the same event in 1997. Chambers achieved a bronze medal in the 1999 World Athletics Championships and showed great promise as a young rising star.

However he failed to live up to his early promise on the world stage, not managing to take centre stage after the departure of Maurice Greene. He agreed at the start of the 2002 season to relocate to San Francisco, and work under veteran coach Remi Korchemny.[2]

At the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, Chambers was one of the favourites to win the 100m title but suffered from a cramp in the final which denied him another medal. Later in the year it was believed that Chambers had laid the ghost of his Manchester failure to rest after winning the 100m at the 2002 European Championships in Munich, and anchoring to victory the Great Britain team in the 4x100m relay.

THG drugs ban

After a poor start to the 2003 season, Chambers' performances at the 2003 World Championships were below par, except for anchoring the leg of the silver medal-winning 4x100 metres Great Britain relay team. Subsequently he failed a drugs test on 1 August.

Following further investigation, in October 2003, Chambers was revealed to have tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid THG. He was given a two-year ban from athletics by UK Athletics after a disciplinary hearing on 22 February 2004, backdated to August 2003. He was also banned for life from the Olympics and stripped of the medals he had won since 2002 after admitting that he had taken THG from that date. The Great Britain relay team were also stripped of their relay medals, which led to former relay team-mate Darren Campbell's public criticism of Chambers.

Chambers' coach Korchemny was revealed as one of four men involved with a USDA investigation into BALCO lab, on charges in the United States of distributing illegal drugs to athletes. Chambers' perceived arrogance and apparent flaunting of his muscular physique to intimidate led many journalists to suggest his career was over and that "he would not be missed."[3]

By his own admission in 2008[4], THG was not the only substance he had used during his career. In his frank admission, he admitted to the use of:

Life during the ban

Chambers had been considering a switch to American Football prior to the ban[5] to emulate his hero Renaldo Nehemiah.[6] He tried out with Nehemiah's old team the San Francisco 49ers, but it came to nothing. As a result he drifted on to the personality circuit, and in May 2004 appeared on the British ITV reality show "Hell's Kitchen".

On May 26 2006, the IAAF asked him to return all the money he earned in 2003 (thought to be close to £180,000) before he could return to competition. The IAAF also stripped him of his European gold medal and annulled his British record, recorded prior to his positive test but within the time during which he admitted using THG. In fact, the European record had already been broken by Francis Obikwelu of Portugal, who ran 9.86 in the Athens 2004 Olympics. As a result Chambers currently lies second on the British and third on the European all time lists with 9.97, which he ran in 2001.

Inside Sport interview

In May 2007, as he prepared for the new NFL Europa season, Chambers gave an interview to four times Olympic Gold medal rower Sir Matthew Pinsent, for the BBC's Inside Sport programme.[7] In the interview, Chambers claimed there will always be athletes using performance-enhancing drugs because the scientists will remain one step ahead of the testers:[8]

It's simple, science always moves faster than the testers. Some people take chances, some don't, and I was willing to take that chance," he said in an interview with the BBC's Inside Sport programme. "I was under the assumption that I wouldn't get caught."

When asked whether a clean athlete was likely to beat one using drugs in an Olympic final, Chambers added:

It's possible, but the person that's taken drugs has to be having a real bad day. That's what I believe.

Chambers was roundly condemned for his comments in the interview by both the press and his former colleagues in the athletics world, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Mo Farah, and Lord Coe, although 100m world record holder Asafa Powell supported Chambers' claims.[9][10][11]

Return to athletics

File:Chambersgothenburg.jpg
Dwain Chambers in the semi-final of the 100 metres at the 2006 European Championships in Gothenburg
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2006

Chambers made his return to athletics in June 2006, competing in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix at Gateshead. In the 100 m final he finished in 3rd place in 10.07 seconds, behind Asafa Powell who equalled his own world record.

In the 100 metres at 2006 European Championships in Gothenburg, Chambers recorded times of 10.24 (first round), 10.39 (second round), 10.25 (semi-final) and 10.24 (final, in which he finished fifth). All were well below his personal and season's best. However, Chambers was part of the victorious British 4x100m team. Darren Campbell, who was angry at losing his medals from the 2003 World Championships, refused to join the team in a celebratory lap, due to Chambers' inclusion in the team. Campbell allegedly did not want Chambers to even be in the team on account of his record.[12]

After the 2006 European Athletics Championships, Chambers once again expressed an interest in leaving athletics for American football, [13] and was selected for the NFL Europa training camp in Tampa, Florida in March 2007 [14].

2008

Following the collapse of the NFL Europa franchise (see below), Chambers made a second return to athletics in early 2008. Competing in the 60m indoor final at the Birmingham Games on 3 February, he finished in 6.60 secs - a new meeting record - and comfortably inside the 6.90 standard for the UK trials for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships event.[15]

Despite opposition from UK Athletics in which chief executive Niels de Vos initially banned Chambers from competing in the trials, the IAAF overruled the decision allowing Chambers to compete. He went on to win the UK trials in Sheffield and was selected to run in the World Indoor Championships the following month in Valencia. However UK Athletics released a statement that their permitting Chambers to run was done under duress, stating:

"The committee was unanimous in its desire not to select Dwain...Taking him to the World Indoors deprives young, upwardly mobile, committed athletes of this key development opportunity...On this basis, it is extremely frustrating to leave young athletes at home; eligible for Beijing, in possession of the qualifying standard and committed to ongoing participation in a drug-free sport...In contrast, we have to take an individual whose sudden return, especially when considered against his previous actions and comments, suggests that he may be using the whole process for his own ends".[16]

Competing for Great Britain at the World Indoor Championships on 7 March, Chambers recorded a new personal best time over 60m of 6.54 seconds and finished second behind Olusoji Fasuba from Nigeria and earned a silver medal. Despite the result, Chambers continued to encounter extensive criticism within athletics and refusals by promoters to invite him to key athletics events in the season ahead.[17] Similarly he remained banned for life by the British Olympic Association and would be prevented from competing in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. However, as of April 2008, the athlete continued to express his desire to appeal against his lifetime ban notwithstanding his trials that month with English rugby league side Castleford Tigers.[18]. On May 16th it was announced that he would take his olympic appeal to the high court.

Personal bests

Date Event Venue Time
March 7 2008 60 m Indoor, World Indoor Championships Valencia 6.54

Sports career

NFL Europa

On 10 March, 2007 it was announced that Chambers had signed a contract with German NFL Europa gridiron side Hamburg Sea Devils. Chambers completed a training camp in Tampa, Florida to earn a contract. Hamburg Head coach Jack Bicknell said: "Chambers has not only excellent speed, but also safe hands." Chambers said: "I'm very happy to be allowed to play for the Sea Devils."[19]

On 30 May, 2007, following his interview on BBC's Inside Sport, NFL Europa confirmed that: "Because of his background, he [Chambers] is liable for additional [drug] testing." It also came a few days after former Balco boss Victor Conte claimed he was again supplying Chambers with nutritional supplements, via his new company Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning.[20]

On 1 June, 2007, it was announced that Chambers had broken his right foot through a stress fracture injury, and to allow a full recovery would therefore not be playing for the Sea Devils this season.[21] On June 29, 2007, the NFL announced NFL Europa would immediately cease operations, meaning Chambers was unemployed.[22]

Rugby League

File:Chambers-Super-League.jpg
Chambers announcing his trial at Castleford Tigers
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On 28 March 2008, The Sun newspaper's website reported that Chambers would join English rugby league team Castleford Tigers.[23][24] The RFL have confirmed they will not stand in his way,[25] but have stated that he is "a long way" from appearing for Castleford in the European Super League.[26][27]

Castleford have confirmed in he will meet the media ahead of his one-month trial with the Tigers.[28] Chambers stated at his press conference that he still wants to compete at this summer's Olympic Games despite starting a month's trial in rugby league.[29]

Dwain Chambers has been formally registered as a player with the Rugby Football League,[30] with Martin Offiah prepared to mentor Chambers.[31] The move has caused much controversy, with many including sprinter Darren Campbell and former Great Britain international Garry Schofield vocal in their disapproval.[32][33]

He has undergone training with the Castleford Tigers first-team squad, but the weekend reserve game was canceled due to bad weather.[34][35][36][37][38][39]

York City Knights will provide Chambers with his first opposition in a rugby league game in a reserve grade friendly on 27 April, 2008.[40]

On 6 May 2008 it was announced that Chambers would not be offered a contract by Castleford.[41]

References

  1. ^ "Dwain Chambers joins Tigers!!". Castleford Tigers. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  2. ^ BBC SPORT | Athletics | I was in gutter, admits Chambers
  3. ^ "The Strut Turns To Dust". Daily Telegraph. 25 February 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2008/05/16/socham116.xml 'Deadly Cocktail used by Chambers
  5. ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/3500679.stm BBC news report
  6. ^ Banned track star Dwain Chambers aims for NFL | The Final Sprint (TFS) | The Internet’s Premier Running, Fitness, and Nutrition Publication
  7. ^ BBC SPORT | TV/Radio Schedule | Inside Sport | Pinsent on Chambers
  8. ^ BBC SPORT | Athletics | Disgraced Chambers in drugs claim
  9. ^ BBC SPORT | Athletics | Redgrave rejects Chambers claims
  10. ^ BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | American Football | Chambers to have extra dope tests
  11. ^ Powell Supports Chambers Claim
  12. ^ "Campbell angry at losing medals". BBC Sport. 2006-08-14. Retrieved 2008-02-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ BBC SPORT | Athletics | Chambers joins NFL training camp
  14. ^ NFLUK.com - News: Display News
  15. ^ Chambers shines on track return, BBC Sport, 3 February 2008
  16. ^ GB name Chambers in Worlds squad, BBC Sport, 12 February 2008
  17. ^ Chambers hints at quitting sport, BBC Sport, 8 March 2008
  18. ^ Chambers to meet anti-doping boss, BBC Sport, 2 April 2008
  19. ^ BBC SPORT | Athletics | Chambers given another NFL chance
  20. ^ BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | American Football | Chambers to have extra dope tests
  21. ^ BBC SPORT | Other Sport... | American Football | Injury ends Chambers' NFL season
  22. ^ "NFL Europa to cease operations". NFL.com. June 29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-29.
  23. ^ The Sun | Dwain Chambers in shock rugby league switch
  24. ^ "Chambers set for Castleford talks". BBC. 2008-03-28. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  25. ^ "RFL clears the way for Chambers". BBC. 2008-03-29. Retrieved 2008-03-29.
  26. ^ "Chambers 'needs league education'". BBC. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  27. ^ "Matterson avoids Chambers issue". Sportinglife. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  28. ^ "Dwain Chambers". Castleford Tigers. 2008-03-30. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
  29. ^ "Chambers still keen on Olympics". BBC. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-03-31.
  30. ^ "Chambers registered with Tigers". Sportinglife. 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  31. ^ "Offiah prepared to mentor Chambers". Sportinglife. 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  32. ^ "Switch will be 'difficult' for Dwain". Sportinglife. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  33. ^ "Schofield calls for Chambers u-turn". Sportinglife. 2008-03-31. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  34. ^ "Statement from Castleford Tigers re Dwain Chambers". Castleford Tigers. 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  35. ^ "RESERVE GRADE GAME CANCELLED". Castleford Tigers. 2008-04-05. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  36. ^ "Chambers to wait for Tigers debut". BBC. 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  37. ^ "Cook welcomed to the Jungle". engage Super League. 2008-04-09. Retrieved 2008-04-09.
  38. ^ "Tigers dismiss Chambers reports". BBC. 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  39. ^ "Cas to keep Chambers?". Sky Sports. 2008-04-16. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  40. ^ "Tigers try Chambers against York". BBC. 2008-04-17. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  41. ^ "Chambers not wanted by Castleford". BBC. 2008-05-06. Retrieved 2008-05-06.

See also

Template:S-awards
Preceded by Men's European Athlete of the Year
2002 		Succeeded by
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