Steve Cram says Dwain Chambers is lucky to get a second chance to compete at the Olympics, despite expressing remorse for his drug-taking past.
The controversial sprinter is eligible for selection for a place on the Great Britain team at London 2012 after the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban for drugs cheats was overturned in court.
The 34-year-old, who served a two-year ban after testing positive for a banned steroid in 2003, has rehabilitated himself in recent years by preaching the dangers of drugs and expressing remorse for his actions.
"I'm sure Usain Bolt was full of remorse when he had his false start (in the 100 metres final at the World Championships in Daegu last year)," said Cram.
"If the rule is a rule at the time, to me you abide by those rules and that was the rule at the time, so I think he's fairly fortunate to have a second chance in that respect.
"I'm sure all people who've taken drugs are fairly sorry when they get caught."
Chambers is allowed to try to qualify for Team GB after the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week ruled in favour of
World Anti-Doping Association, who had declared the BOA's lifetime ban from the Olympics "non-compliant" with their code.
His ban saw him miss the 2004 and 2008 Games in Athens and Beijing respectively, but he is likely to qualify for the Britain team in London as he remains the nation's leading sprinter.
Chambers is the most high-profile athlete set to benefit from the ruling, but Cram insists his part is minor.
"It's about the wider message, whether Dwain Chambers makes the team or not is fairly irrelevant," said the former 1500 metres world record holder, who was helping officially launch www.findarace.com, which acts as a search engine for thousands of UK based amateur running, cycling and swimming events.
"I don't think he's going to medal or anything, but it's the wider ongoing message which WADA have got to look at.
"I saw it announced they're going to re-test samples from 2004 and that's great, but it's retrospective.
"I think at the moment the deterrents are too weak and something else needs to be put in place."
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