DWAIN Chambers still harbours a desire to overturn his lifetime Olympic ban and compete at next year’s Games but has admitted he would like to take the “the path of least resistance” to do so.

The 33-year-old is banned from competing at the Olympics by the British Olympic Association (BOA) despite serving a two-year drugs ban for taking steroids in 2003.

Chambers has seen one previous bid fail, in 2008, but has been given fresh hope following the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s decision to rule that an Olympic ban, implemented by the IOC, for anyone given a suspension for longer than six months was “invalid and unenforceable”.

The BOA are determined to uphold their ban, but the sprinter said: “The Olympics is the pinnacle for all athletes.

“For all British athletes, to be able to pull on a British vest and compete in a home Olympics would be a great privilege.

“It’s something I would love to do if it was a possibility.

“We would like to go down the path of least resistance.

“If we can do it without going to a courtroom, I’ll be happy with that.”

The BOA believe their ban differs from the IOC rule on several grounds, especially the appeals procedure built into it.