After 48 nailbiting hours, Belgrave Harriers' Dwain Chambers yesterday heard he had been selected to race for Britain in the 60m at next month's World Indoor championships in Valencia, Spain.

UK Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos made no secret of his view before the weekend's World Championship trials in Sheffield that he did not want Chambers, who was banned for two years for testing positive to the designer steroid THG, in the squad.

However, Chambers showed superb form as he three times improved on his season's best as he won his heat and semi-final in 6.60 seconds.

He went on to storm to victory in the final in 6.56, the second best time in the world this year, just one-hundredths of a second off his lifetime best.

Chambers' participation has divided opinions in the sport.

Steve Cram supported his exclusion, while London Marathon boss Dave Bedford called on the crowd to boo him.

However, former chief UK athletics coach Frank Dick and former Olympic javelin champion Tessa Sanderson supporting his inclusion.

His appearance attracted the biggest cheer of the indoor meeting on Sunday and he was congratulated by numerous athletes after his victory.

Chambers, 29, indicated his desire to run in Valencia to have a crack at winning the world title.

"I made a mistake and I want to get on with my life," he said after Sunday's impressive win.

"Taking drugs is wrong. You can do it clean. I should be in the team for the World Championships."

However, it was clear from a statement issued by UK Athletics yesterday afternoon that the selectors did not want to pick Chambers.

"The committee was unanimous in its desire not to select Dwain," it read.

"Taking him to the World Indoors deprives young, committed athletes of this key development opportunity.

"It is extremely frustrating to leave young athletes at home - eligible for Beijing, in possession of the qualifying standard and committed to ongoing participation in a drug-free sport.

"In contrast, we have to take an individual whose sudden return, when considered against his previous actions and comments, suggests he may be using the whole process for his own ends.

"Unfortunately, the committee felt the selection criteria pertaining to the winner of the trials, coupled with the manner of Dwain's performance, left them no room to take any other decision."

Belgrave clubmates Samson Oni and Phillips Idowu were also named in the first wave of 21 British selections.

Oni produced the outstanding performance on Saturday, with a lifetime best of 2.30m, a qualifying performance for both Valenica and Beijing, in winning the high jump.

Commonwealth champion Idowu needed just one attempt to win the triple jump (17.24m).

St Mary's student Jemma Simpson celebrated her 24th birthday on Sunday, booking her Spanish trip by winning the women's 1,500m in a lifetime best of four minutes 13.99 seconds.