Malcolm is thus of the same opinion as world marathon record holder Paula Radcliffe – who called the ruling "unfair" –  world triple jump record holder Jonathan Edwards and world heptathlon silver medallist Jessica Ennis over the BOA's unilateral stance, which the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has recently said does not comply with its code.

Malcolm, a former world junior champion at 100 and 200 metres, and 200m finalist in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, said: "For me, it's not that I disagree that sanctions should be put in place but the way the rest of the world are going at the moment, I think it would be good if we all fell in line with WADA."

"I believe in what Paula and Jess said.

"I listened to what they said.

"I believe everyone deserves a second chance on this.

"That's my true belief on it.

"WADA are the ones trying to crack down on drug testing and drug cheats so, you know, if they're trying to do that I think we should be in support of it.

"The fear is that the BOA – if they do win and they do break away as an organisation then other countries decide to follow their own rules, and I don't think that's right.

"Let WADA deal with it, they're the professionals."

Malcolm told Sky News he and other athletes had not been asked about their views since the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) outlawed an International Olympic Committee (IOC) rule last month, which prevented those who had incurred anything over a six-month doping ban from competing at the next possible Olympics.

Malcolm, a European silver medallist last year, said: "Basically, they haven't asked me my opinion on anything about it and the athletes I know haven't been asked about it either.

"In the last couple of months, nothing has been said to us.

"So I was quite surprised to hear they said there was an 'overwhelming majority', to be honest with you."

The BOA is to announce shortly if it intends to take its case against WADA to the CAS.

Malcolm is keen for the athletes' views to be heard.

"Some people may have changed their mind," he said.

"Don't get me wrong.

"If athletes have taken drugs, they should be punished, no two ways about it.

"But I think, at the same time, there should be room for redemption."

Malcolm believes the recently-outlawed IOC rule, which barred athletes convicted of serious doping offences from the next Olympics, would be the best way forward.

Meanwhile, Dwain Chambers' agent Siza Agha also criticised recent statements by the BOA chairman Colin Moynihan and the Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson, who claimed athletes supported their adherence to the life ban bylaw.

"The clear inference is that they have already surveyed athletes following the CAS decision," Agha told Sky News.

"The athletes I've spoken to haven't been consulted and expressed surprise at the BOA's claimed level of support.

"The current position has been criticised heavily and, for my part, I would be interested to know where these statistics derive from, when they were collated and the proportion of athletes surveyed.

"It must have come as a huge shock to the BOA to hear that the likes of Paula Radcliffe, Jessica Ennis and Jonathan Edwards do not agree with their current position."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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