Newz Forum: OLYMPICS: Greek sprinters withdrawn from Games

ATHENS, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou will be withdrawn from the Olympic Games, a source close to the Greek team said on Saturday.

The cases of Kenteris, the Olympic 200 metres champion, and Thanou, runner-up in the Sydney Games 100 metres, were being discussed at a meeting of the Greek Olympic Committee.

The two are due to attend an International Olympic Committee (IOC) disciplinary hearing on Monday to explain why they missed a drugs test this week in Athens.

They had both also missed a test in the United States scheduled for earlier in the week after leaving for Athens a day earlier than planned.

The IOC decided on Friday to give the two athletes a 72-hour extension after they failed to show up for a disciplinary commission drugs tribunal after they were both hurt in a motorcycle accident.

POPULAR ATHLETES

But the drama surrounding two of the country's most popular athletes, was never far from the surface despite widespread acclaim for the ceremony.

Kenteris had been tipped as the man to light the flame in the Olympic Stadium but, in a surprise, the honour instead went to Nikos Kaklamanakis, a windsurfing gold medallist in 1996.

Kenteris and Thanou are still in hospital after being injured in a mystery motorcycle accident. Both were said to be stable and not seriously hurt but are expected to remain in a special athletes' isolation ward until Sunday.

A statement on their injuries in the crash, in which no other vehicle was involved, said Kenteris "sustained a slight head injury, a sprain to the vertebra at the back of his neck, a knee sprain and scratches to his right leg".

Thanou suffered "slight abdominal injuries, a sprain to the right leg".

The IOC said they were forced to delay their hearing because the athletes had medical documentation saying they should not be transferred.

The three-member IOC disciplinary commission could rule that a missed test is a failed test, which carries a two-year ban.

poeple just dont learn, its kindof obvious that your using it if you miss a drug test.