GOLD COAST, Australia (AP) -- Linford Christie will get a chance to coach until the Olympics despite his recent drugs ban.

 The British Olympic team is preparing for the Sydney Games in Queensland, where the 1992 100-meter Olympic champion has been coaching his squad of sprinters for several months.

 British training camp director Kevin Hickey said team officials decided to allow Christie to continue coaching but not stay at the training headquarters, the Australian Associated Press reported.

 "It makes sense," Hickey told AAP. "Certainly (Christie's ban) is sad for sport obviously, but it is something we have put into context."

 Christie withdrew his application for Olympics coaching credentials after the International Amateur Athletic Federation gave him a two-year ban Monday for testing positive for the banned substance nandrolone.

 Christie, 40, is retired but tested positive while running for fun at a meet in Germany last year.

 The BBC kicked him off its commentary team for Sydney after the IAAF ruling.