A bitter exchange of words has followed the formal announcement that the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban for drugs cheats has been overturned in court.
BOA chairman Lord Moynihan branded the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport as "a hollow victory" for the World Anti-Doping Association, who had declared the lifetime ban "non-compliant" with their code.
WADA responded by blasting the BOA for "the many hysterical and inaccurate public statements" from the organisation during the case.
The CAS ruling means sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar, both banned for doping offences in 2004, can be selected by Team GB for the London 2012 Games, and Moynihan promised they would not be treated differently to any other athlete.
Moynihan said: "This will be seen as a hollow victory for WADA.
"We live in difficult days when WADA spends time and money reducing those countries which have taken a determined stance against drug cheats in sport, such as Canada, New Zealand and ourselves, to a two-year ban which as Sir Steve Redgrave has said is tantamount to almost saying it is acceptable.
"It is also wrong in our view that all 204 national Olympic committees around the world now have to hand over their selection policy towards drug cheats to WADA or face court action."
The BOA have been ordered to pay the costs of the CAS panel, but Moynihan said the total was still less than the £100,000 they had budgeted for.
The BOA president has infuriated WADA on a number of occasions since the start of the case last year, and the organisation's president John Fahey, an Australian, responded in forthright manner.
Fahey welcomed the ruling but blasted the BOA for "the many hysterical and inaccurate public statements" from the organisation during the case.
Fahey said: "The decision totally rejects the BOA appeal and upholds the WADA foundation board's declaration of non-compliance.
"The WADA decision was taken only after the full deliberation and consideration of independent legal advice and WADA regrets the many hysterical and inaccurate public statements from the BOA in the course of challenging the WADA decision."
Fahey added the fight against doping in sport had to be based on one set of rules across every country.
Attention will now shift to Chambers and Millar, both of whom are likely to be selected for the Games.
UK Athletics, who had supported the lifetime ban, confirmed: "Athletes affected by the ruling are now eligible for the team, in both individual and relay events, and will be subject to the same selection criteria and process as every other British athlete."
Millar is likely to be part of the Olympic cycling team in London but British Cycling refused to speculate on that possibility.
A spokesperson said: "Our team for the Games is being selected in June and across all disciplines we'll pick the team based on which riders are fit and available, and who we believe have the best chance to deliver medals.
"Ahead of that we won't be speculating on who may or may not be selected."
Millar is not planning to comment on the outcome of the case, while Chambers' advisers were this evening still considering their position.
Moynihan insisted they would both now have his full support but said he could do little if they were targeted by spectators during the Games.
He added: "I can't speak on behalf of the crowds at the Games - what I can speak on behalf of is the preparations of Team GB.
"Clearly we are aware of the fact there are some very strongly diverse opinions on this subject amongst the athletes, we will work with the athletes, their coaches and the governing bodies to make sure they work as one team.
"I will give absolutely maximum support to every athlete that is selected for Team GB."
The BOA will also push now for tougher bans for doping offenders in the WADA code, with a minimum four-year ban for a serious offence such as taking steroids, which would involve missing at least one Olympics.
Dwain Chambers' lawyer Siza Agha said they will take time to consider the CAS findings but attacked the BOA's position as "blinkered".
Agha said: "In my view as hosts for the 2012 Olympics, this delicate and emotive issue required international diplomacy, foresight and responsibility. What we have received has been a crude and defiant display fuelled by misguided statements such as 'We have standards and the rest of the world doesn't'.
"It has in my view been an exposure of colonial arrogance that even the most extreme and blinkered should have realised could only serve to marginalise British opinion on the international stage.
"In complete contrast WADA have in my view been the model of professionalism and dignity in the face of the most extreme provocation. Lessons should be learned by their example."
Agha said he was "astonished" that the decision had leaked out on Sunday and called for an investigation.
He added: "Having not been party to the CAS case, Dwain and I will now need to take time to privately digest and consider the reasoning behind the decision."
