Greek Sprinters Guilty of Lying

(ATR) Almost eight years after the crimes were committed, Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou are judged guilty of lying about a motorcycle accident on the eve of the Athens Olympics.

The two sprinters say a motorcycle accident prevented them from reaching the Olympic Village in time for drug tests two days before opening ceremony. They holed-up in an Athens hospital for five days, claiming injuries from the accident.

A long-delayed trial ended Tuesday in Athens with the judge declaring "that this accident never occurred". Kenteris and Thanou could be sentenced to four years in jail. Their coach Christos Tzekos, also found guilty, could face six years imprisonment. Members of the staff at the hospital where the sprinters hid were also implicated in the cover-up. Appeals are likely.

Kenteris, 200m gold medalist in Sydney and Thanou, 100m silver medalist, resigned from the Greek team in Athens to avoid being stripped of their credentials by the IOC. An IOC Disciplinary Commission had learned the two athletes had managed to avoid other drug tests in the lead-up to the Olympics.

Kenteris,whohad been selected to light the caldron at the Athens opening ceremony, obviously lost that honor.

Both runners were eventually suspended by the IAAF. Thanou qualified for the Beijing Olympics, but the IOC refused to allow her to participate based on what happened in Athens.

And when Thanou became eligible to receive the 100m gold medal from Sydney after Marion Jones was disqualified for doping, the IOC chose to leave the gold medal position open.

Written by Ed Hula.