On this day in 2007: Christine Ohuruogu wins appeal against Olympic ban

Christine Ohuruogu won an appeal against her lifetime Olympic ban for missing three out-of-competition drugs tests on this day in 2007.

The then 23-year-old Londoner took her case to a Sports Dispute Resolutions Panel and successfully overturned a British Olympic Association by-law precluding athletes found guilty of drug-test offences from competing in future Games.

Ohuruogu, who in August had sensationally won the 400 metres world championship title just three weeks after finishing a one-year suspension, was now clear to compete in Beijing the following year.

A statement from the BOA said: “The appeals panel unanimously agreed that the written evidence supplemented by the answers given by both parties at the oral hearing provided the necessary information to take an early decision in Christine Ohuruogu’s appeal.

“It was agreed that any delay in making the decision would not be in the interests of any of the involved parties.

“The panel decided that Christine Ohuruogu’s appeal had been successful due to significant mitigating circumstances.”

Ohuruogu went on to win 400m gold at the Beijing Olympics.

A near perfect race saw Ohuruogu run a season’s best time of 50.80sec to claim Britain’s only gold medal on the track.