Following a joint request for arbitration filed by the IOC and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), CAS declared that the IOC's rule 45 or "Osaka Rule", which banned any athlete serving a suspension of six months or more for doping violations from the subsequent Olympic Games, was "invalid and unenforceable".

Despite the ruling, BOA chairman Colin Moynihan has insisted he will fight to keep the lifetime Olympic ban in place meaning that top athletes such as sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar will be unable to compete at London 2012.

Moynihan has written to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to seek their backing for that position but Oswald, who is also an IOC Executive Board member, confirmed that they would support the stance of the BOA chairman.

"It's clearly stated in the Olympic Charter that each National Olympic Committee has the right to establish eligibility rules for their athletes," said Oswald here at a press conference in central London that concluded the ninth IOC Coordination Commission inspection of the capital.

"Each National Olympic Committee has the right to select or decide eligibility for their own athletes and we fully respect the position of the British Olympic Association.

"The IOC has a no tolerance policy regarding doping.

"We adopted this rule to strengthen our fight against doping, so we are naturally disappointed that CAS did not follow our reasoning.

"We accept their ruling but this is not the final word and we will work with World Anti-Doping Agency to see if we can implement this in the long-term.

"About 6,000 athletes will be tested during the Games and all participants will have been tested several times before the Games.

"We've done the best we could do to have the cleanest possible Games next summer."


In a press conference dominated by the CAS ruling, London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said that he too supported the BOA policy on doping.

"I believe it is appropriate for an autonomous sporting organisation to lay down whatever bylaws they need," said Coe, who earlier this year had a dramatic falling-out with Moynihan in a dispute over how the surplus for the 2012 Games should be allocated.

"My personal view has never changed, I believe in a life time ban."

Meanwhile, Oswald praised London's preparations for the 2012 Games in what is the penultimate IOC inspection of London.

The Commission are set for their last visit in March next year shortly before the start of the Games but Oswald stated that everything is currently well on track.

"London 2012 continues to make good progress toward delivering great Olympic Games next summer," said the Commission chairman.

"We have once again been impressed by the overall level of planning and by the results of the first group of test events that were held this summer.

"London 2012 and its partners are also looking beyond the confines of the venues and are working hard to bring the Olympic experience to people across Great Britain and around the world.

"This will undoubtedly generate a great Olympic atmosphere next summer, and we congratulate them for their work."

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