 Chambers was banned for two years in February 2004 |
Dame Kelly Holmes has urged selectors to include Dwain Chambers in the Great Britain squad for the European Cup. Chambers topped the British rankings with a time of 10.07 seconds at Gateshead on 11 June in his first 100m race following a two-year drugs ban.
And Holmes believes that justifies his inclusion in the squad: "When it comes to 100m men, they need to step up to the plate and Dwain's doing that now."
The GB squad for this month's European Cup will be announced on Wednesday.
UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins has already stated that Chambers will be treated like any other athlete.
But, given that British policy on drug-testing rules Chambers out of competing for Britain in the Olympics, Collins recognises that European Cup success must be balanced against long-term Olympic goals.
Holmes, however, believes that the time is right for Chambers to rejoin the squad.
"It was right that he was out of the sport for the time he was, but he's come back," she told Five Live's Sportsweek.
"He's a great athlete, and we probably need him back in the sport."
The European Cup, in Malaga on 28-29 June, is a pointer to the European Championships in Sweden this August, where Chambers is defending 100m champion.
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Interview: Kelly Holmes