LONDON (Reuters) - Lawyers representing sprinter Dwain Chambers said on Thursday they had filed papers in a London court in a bid to outlaw the British Olympic Association's (BOA) policy of lifetime bans for drugs cheats.

Chambers, who served a two-year ban for steroid use, says he wants to compete in Beijing and has easily achieved the BOA's qualifying standard.

The statement from Chambers' said: "Mr Chambers will seek from the court a declaration that the bylaw is unenforceable, a declaration that he is eligible for inclusion in Team GB for Beijing 2008 and an order that, subject to his achieving first or second place at the UK trials, he be included in Team GB for the Beijing Olympic Games.

"The basis of Mr Chambers' claim is that the bylaw is an unreasonable restraint of trade in that it goes further than is reasonably necessary for protecting the interests of BOA and the public; and further, that the bylaw is inherently unfair and unreasonable given the surrounding circumstances."

The athletics trials take place in Birmingham over the weekend of July 11-13 and Chambers, who ran 10.05 seconds in Sofia on Monday, is favourite to win the 100 metres, a victory that would normally guarantee Olympic selection.

Several athletes have previously successfully challenged their lifetime BOA bans, basing their appeals on mitigating circumstances or the injustice of their initial doping offences.

Chambers, however, admitted his offence and is the first to challenge the legality of the BOA bylaw.

Last week several leading British Olympians, including Steve Redgrave and Kelly Holmes, were among more than 100 sportsmen and women who signed a petition supporting the BOA's stance.

(Editing by Padraic Halpin)