Athletics: Chambers in biggest test of his career

A year ago today, Dwain Chambers spoke of his prospects on the eve of the Norwich Union indoor grand prix at Birmingham. He was, he said, happy to confirm that he would break Tim Montgomery's 100 metres world record of 9.78sec in the summer, believing that he could achieve a time of 9.65.

His impending 60m would be run in a time between 6.44sec and 6.36, the latter being 0.03 inside the world record.

None of Chambers' predictions came to pass. And on the eve of this year's meeting at the National Indoor Arena, Chambers' world has darkened further as he attends a UK Athletics' disciplinary hearing following his positive test for tetrahydrogestrinone.

The 25-year-old European 100m champion faces a two-year suspension and a lifetime ban from the Olympics unless his defence lawyer, Michael Beloff QC, can get around the clause that underpins the worldwide system of dope testing, namely "strict liability", which holds athletes responsible for substances in their body.

Today at the Lincoln's Inn Fields office of UK Athletics' solicitors, Farrer & Co, Chambers' destiny will be shaped.