LONDON (AP)

Dwain Chambers' lawyers launched a court appeal yesterday to overturn the British sprinter's lifetime ban from the Olympics so he can compete in the Beijing Games.

Chambers' legal team filed court papers against the British Olympic Association, saying its bylaw that bans drug cheats from the British team is unreasonable.

Chambers, the former European 100-metre champion, is hoping the case will be heard by London's High Court before the British Olympic trials start on July 11. He wants to compete in the August 8-24 Beijing Games.

"The basis of Mr. Chambers' claim is that the bylaw is an unreasonable restraint of trade in that it goes further than is reasonably necessary for protecting the interests of BOA and the public," lawyer Nick Collins said in a statement.

Collins also said the BOA rule was "inherently unfair and unreasonable given the surrounding circumstances."

The BOA vowed to fight the appeal.

"The BOA confirms that it will vigorously and unequivocally defend its lifetime ban on drug cheats who have brought themselves and their sports into disrepute," the association said in a statement.

Two-time Olympic 1,500-metre champion Lord Sebastian Coe, who is a vice president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, said Chambers was making a mistake.