IAAF unlikely to ban Chambers...for now

European Indoor 60m champion Dwain Chambers is not expected to be banned again by athletics' governing body when the IAAF council meet here this weekend, but the GB track star is not yet out of trouble.

The International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) council is meeting in Berlin on Saturday and Sunday and one of the items up for discussion is whether to impose further sanctions against Chambers for bringing the sport into disrepute.

The sprinter tested positive for the steroid THG in 2003, becoming the first athlete connected to Balco founder Victor Conte to test positive for the previously undetectable steroid.

Chambers was then handed a two-year ban in 2003 and has confessed all in his autobiography "Race Against Me", which has landed him in hot water again with athletics chiefs for describing himself as a 'walking junkie'.

"The topic is up for discussion, but it is however very improbable that a further sanction will be imposed," said IAAF spokesman Nick Davies with the World Athletics Championships to be held at Berlin's Olympic Stadium this August.

Instead the sports governing body will wait to receive a recommendation from UK Athletics, who plan to speak to Chambers on Monday to discuss several issues raised in his book.

The IAAF have the power to hit Chambers with a lifetime ban, but such a step contains significant legal risks.

Under IAAF rules, an athlete can face penalties or even a competition ban, if found to have brought the sport into disrepute.

"He is free to run, he's served his ban. Now, our experts have to see whether he can be banned under this clause," said Davies.

And there have been raised eyebrows in the athletics world after it was reported Chambers had recently got in touch with Conte again.

In his book, Chambers wrote Conte had given him more than 300 different concoctions of banned substances, including the steroids THG, EPO and HGH.

Chambers was crowned European Indoor champion in Turin this month when he ran 6.46secs in the final.

Under British rules, he remains banned for life from the Olympics and the organisers of athletics meetings have promised not to invite athletes with past doping bans, but the boss of Berlin's Golden League meet has said Chambers may be invited to race in June.

British athletics chiefs have confirmed that Chambers will not be part of the 400-metre relay team at the worlds in Berlin since he is ineligible for future Olympics, although he can run in the individual event.

Meanwhile, the IAAF will also debate this weekend whether to ban false-starts completely for competitions.

Since January 1 2003, only one false-start is tolerated and with a second resulting in the athlete responsible being expelled from the race, whether or not he was involved in the first false start.