Chambers, who served a two-year ban in 2003 after testing positive for the designer anabolic steroid tetrahydrogestrinome (THG), is due to leave tomorrow for the West African country to conduct a week's coaching clinic for the country's top sprinters.

 

He said: "I have been invited by the Gambian Government and I will be based in Banjul, which is the capital.

 

"I will be there to help their athletes gain a better understanding of the mental and physical aspect of training.

 

"I will also train them in the hope that at least one of the athletes make it to the 2012 Olympic Games."
 

Gambia, the smallest country on mainland Africa with a population of only 1.7 million, made its debut at the Olympics in 1984 and has been represented at every Games since, although it is still waiting its first medal.

 

They sent two athletes to the Olympics in Beijing last year, both sprinters.

 

Suwaibou Sanneh was knocked out in the first round of the 100 metres after running 10.52sec in his heat while Fatou Tiyana also exited in the same stage of the women's sprint, clocking 12.25.

 

Sanneh, 19, who has a personal best of 10.43 will be among the runners that Chambers will be working with.

 

Chambers said: "I believe that this is an important investment, as athletes within the Gambia and West Africa are now being given the opportunity to live out their dreams of one day becoming an Olympic champion."

 

Chambers, 31, is currently training for the World Indoor Championships in Doha next year before concentrating on the European Championships in Barcelona in July.

 

The Londoner said: "The national trials and the World Indoors are top of the list.

 

"Then I will get myself ready for the European Championships."