More Trouble for Ghana; Verdict Ahead for Disgraced Greek Sprinters

Ghana Olympic Leader Caught for Fraud

The vice president of the suspended Ghana Olympic Committee is in hot water for trying to trick a continental sporting body.

According to a Ghanaian media report, Frank Appiah attempted to convince the Confederation of African Athletics that the Ghana Athletics Association is an illegitimate organization unrecognized by the GOC, then nominated a colleague of his for a seat on the CAA executive.

"I would like to inform you that CAA had never been informed about this situation, let alone received any notification from its regulating body IAAF asking CAA to suspend connections with this federation," CAA general secretary Lamine Faty wrote in reply.

The IAAF later joined the CAA in its rebuke of Appiah and the GOC.

"Your NOC is currently suspended," IAAF secretary general Pierre Weiss wrote last week, "and IOC does not recognize anyone there".

The IOC Executive Board suspended Ghana after exhausting efforts to persuade the Ghanaian government and sports ministry to revise sports legislation that is in breach of the Olympic Charter.

The IOC requires national Olympic committees to have complete autonomy from the government.

Currently, government leaders say they have the power to name heads of the national sports bodies.

Benson Baba is listed by the IOC as the president of the GOC, although he lost a 2009 election to Francis Dodoo, a professor in the United States. Dodoo was believed to be backed by the national government.

An update on the GOC is expected at the IOC Executive Board meeting now underway in London on the sidelines of SportAccord.

If the suspension stands, Ghanaian athletes could be blocked from competing under their nationalflag at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Olympians from Ghana have won four medals at the Games: a silver in boxing in 1960, a bronze in boxing in 1964 and 1972 and a football bronze at the 1992 Olympics. No African country had won a medal in football at the Olympics before.

Of the nine Ghanaians who competed in Beijing, six were boxers.

Prosecutor Says Kenteris, Thanou Guilty

An Athens prosecutor says Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou should be found guilty of faking a motorcycle crash that caused the pair to miss a drug test on the eve of the 2004 Olympics.

"There is no evidence that there was an accident," Giorgos Petros told a trio of magistrates on Tuesday.

"The police found no trace of an accident at the scene where the two athletes claimed it took place."

According to a Reuters report, the prosecutor also pointed to a lack of evidence that either athlete sustained any head injuries as previously claimed. Both stayed in a hospital for severaldays after the crash as the doping scandal cast a shadow over the Games unfolding around them.

Early last month was the first time Thanou appeared in court since the long-delayed criminal trial kicked off in January, and last week marked her maiden testimony. Kenteris has yet to make an appearance and has his lawyer testifying on his behalf. A verdict is expected this week.

Thanou was a silver medalist in the 100m in Sydney, and her then-training-partner Kenteris was the men’s 200m champion. They were Greece’s main medal hopes for the Athens Summer Games until the IOC revoked their credentials, thereby preventing them from competing.

Germany Lets London Host Paralympic Day

London will host this year's International Paralympic Day in a departure from tradition meant to celebrate the 2012 Games, now just more than 500 days away.

"It's a fantastic way for the public to learn more about Paralympic sports and get a taste of the excitement that they will witness during the Paralympic Games," LOCOG chair Sebastian Coe said Tuesday in a statement.

Germany traditionally hosts International Paralympic Day every two years, but London has big plans for the September showcase.

British and international Paralympians will be in Trafalgar Square on Sept. 8 to greet fans and demonstrate the sports in which they'll compete at London 2012.

The application window for Paralympic tickets opens the very next day. LOCOG will announce prices and schedule details next month.

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Written by Matthew Grayson.