European fastest man in 2009 and World 100m finalist Dwain Chambers has advised young Gambian athletes to stay true to their talents and not to make the same mistake he made in his career.
Chambers, 31, was in the Gambia last week for a week's tour to demonstrate his skills, assist athletes in training and share athletics experience with the country's sprinters. He also held training sessions at the Independence stadium from the November 16-19, 2009.
The Londoner received a two-year athletics ban, and a lifetime Olympic ban after he tested positive for the banned steroid THG on 22 October, 2003 and was suspended by the authorities on 7 November, 2003 was also ordered by the IAAF to pay back his earnings from the period of his athletics career that was affected by his drug abuse.
Chambers admonished the young athletes not to follow his footsteps and that make the same mistake. He also added right now he has to fight to be at the top again, that even the respect is no more there. So what he needs now he said is to stand strong. He also plan to return to competition in March next year.
He was prevented from competing in the old Golden League series because all of the meetings in Europe were under the umbrella of the Euromeetings umbrella group, which claimed to have an unwritten rule not to invite former drug offenders.
And the same group of Euromeeting mafioso are already ganging up at freezing him out of the new look Diamond league format for an offence he had already served the punishment for between 2003 and 2006.
Chambers told a press conference held at Friendship Hotel that the athletes "can do it" and they don't need to go to America or Europe that they can't make it happen at home in the Gambia.
"They don't need to go there; they will be tracked down as what happened to me."
"I want to teach them discipline and want to give them everything so that they can fight back, you have to do it yourself," he said.