Chambers is selected for British side; Former drugs cheat makes championships squad.

FORMER drugs cheat Dwain Chambers has been included in a strong Aviva Great Britain team for the inaugural European Team Championships in Leira next weekend.

Morpeth Harrier Nick McCormick and Middlesbrough's Chris Tomlinson have also made the squad for the event in Leira, starting next weekend.

Chambers' selection should guarantee maximum points in the 100 metres where he is a clear leader of the European rankings this summer with a world-class time of 10.06 seconds.

The 31-year-old Londoner, who served a two-year drug suspension after testing positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003, is delighted he has been chosen to represent his country at the Portuguese venue.

Chambers learned of his inclusion after winning at an international meeting in Montreuil last night where despite cold conditions and a poor start, he still clocked a time of 10.17secs.

"I am very pleased with my performance," said this year's European Indoor 60m champion, whose major aim this summer is to challenge for a medal at the World Championships in August.

Chambers added: "Times are not important at this stage of the season, but winning is.

"I have officially been selected and I am looking forward to competing with and being amongst my fellow team-mates." Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu, who opened her campaign at the distance with a victory at the French meeting, will run over 200m and the Beijing triple jump silver medallist Phillips Idowu will also compete.

Charles van Commenee, UKA's head coach, said: "Under the former format, this was an event that the British team have traditionally done very well at.

"It is the only team competition at this level of the sport and is one that people can really relate to.

"It is a new format this year and it will take time for people to get used to it and to understand it.

"But people always understand winning and losing and we must aim to succeed.

"We have some very strong events, some weaker ones and everything in between. But that applies to every country.

It should be a very interesting weekend.

"We have selected every athlete purely on a performance basis and not on promise or potential. It is all about who are the best people for the job."

GB TEAM FOR EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

MEN 100m: Dwain Chambers (Belgrave Harriers); 200m: Rikki Fifton (Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets); 400m: Tim Benjamin (Cardiff AAC); 800m: Colin McCourt (Dundee Hawkhill); 1500m: Tom Lancashire (Bolton Harriers); 3000m: Nick McCormick (Morpeth Harriers); 5000m: Mo Farah (Newham & Essex).

110m hurdles: Andy Turner (Sale Harriers); 400m hurdles; David Greene (Swansea Harriers); 3000m steeplechase: Stuart Stokes (Sale Harriers).

High Jump: Samson Oni (Belgrave Harriers); Pole Vault: Steve Lewis (Newham & Essex); Long Jump: Chris Tomlinson (Newham & Essex); Triple Jump: Phillips Idowu (Belgrave Harriers); Shot: Carl Myerscough (Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde); Discus: Abdul Buhari (Newham & Essex); Hammer: Andy Frost (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) Javelin: Mervyn Luckwell (Marshall Milton Keynes) 4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeety (Sutton & District); James Dasaolu (Croydon Harriers); Marlon Devonish (Coventry Godiva); Tyrone Edgar (Newham & Essex); Fifton; Simeon Williamson (Highgate Harriers); 4x400m: Benjamin; Greene; Nigel Levine (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow); Richard Strachan (Trafford AC); Rob Tobin (Basingstoke & Mid Hants); Conrad Williams (Kent AC)..

WOMEN 100m: Ashlee Nelson (City of Stoke); 200m: Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex); 400m: Lee McConnell (Shaftesbury Barnet); 800m: Jenny Meadows (Wigan & District); 1500m: Hannah England (Oxford City); 3000m: Steph Twell (Aldershot, Farnham & District); 5000m: Laura Kenney (Royal Sutton Coldfield).

100m hurdles: Gemma Bennett (Shaftesbury Barnet); 400m hurdles: Eilidh Child (Pitreavie AAC); 3000m steeplechase: Helen Clitheroe (Preston Harriers).

High Jump: Stephanie Pywell (Sale Harriers); Pole Vault: Kate Dennison (Sale Harriers); Long Jump: Phyllis Agbo (Thames Valley); Triple Jump: Nadia Williams (Shaftesbury Barnet).

Shot: Alison Rodger (Sale Harriers); Discus: Eden Francis (Birchfield Harriers) Hammer: Zoe Derham (Birchfield Harriers); Javelin: Laura Whittingham (Sale Harriers).

4x100m: Montell Douglas (Blackheath & Bromley); Emily Freeman (Wakefield Harriers); Joice Maduaka (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies); Nelson; Kadi-Ann Thomas; Laura Turner; 4x400m: Vicki Barr (Rugby & Northampton); McConnell; Ohuruogu; Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)..