Olympic GamesChris Hoy and Sebastian Coe yesterday led the expressions of disappointment after it emerged the British Olympic Association are resigned to losing a court battle to keep their lifetime ban for drugs cheats.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will deliver a ruling next week after the BOA challenged the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) for declaring the ban “non-compliant”. Although the BOA have had no indication from the court, senior officials have confirmed they are preparing for defeat. It means sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar, who have both served doping bans, look set to be part of Team GB for London 2012.

Hoy said yesterday: “It will be sad if we have to fall in line with the rest of the world.”