Greek sprint duo's hearing postponed

Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou won a two-day reprieve at the Athens Olympics when a disciplinary hearing investigating their missed drugs tests was adjourned until tomorrow.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) agreed to their request for a postponement yesterday after receiving a medical report from the hospital where the two have been recovering since a mysterious motorcycle crash in the early hours of Friday.

Asked by Reuters whether his request for an adjournment had been successful, lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos said: "Yes. We have won the first fight.

"On Wednesday, even on crutches, Kenteris and Thanou will be in front of the panel. They will fight their fight and prove they're clean."

The disciplinary commission of the International Olympic Committee had interrupted their meeting to consider the request and subsequently approved it.

Kenteris, who had been a strong candidate for the honour of lighting the Olympic flame at the opening, was a surprise gold medallist in the 200 metres at the Sydney Games where training partner Thanou took silver in the women's 100 metres.

Their coach Christos Tzekos is also being investigated by the IOC and was at the hearing.

Tzekos said: "The athletes would very much like to be here. They are very happy with the postponement - of course they are physically not very well. We are definitely confident."

An Athens prosecutor has ordered the capital's chief medical examiner to go to the hospital to examine the athletes, a police source said.

Olympic dope testers failed to find the two at the Olympic village on Thursday and later that night they were in the motorcycle accident. They have been in hospital since.

Asked whether his clients were now confident they could persuade the IOC not to take action, Dimitrakopoulos said: "Yes, since there is no decision we are confident."

The IOC disciplinary commission could recommend banning the two athletes.

The IOC has jurisdiction over doping matters during the Olympics and can suspend athletes for the duration of the August 13-29 Games. The matter is then handed to the athletes' sports ruling body, the IAAF.

'Shame on Games'

Greece's press and public wished for swift closure to the saga that has battered Greek pride in hosting the Games, with local newspapers saying it was time to end the drama.

"The IOC's decision will write today the last chapter in the Kenteris-Thanou drama that shocked Greece on the eve of the Games," wrote daily Ethnos.

Eleftheros Typos ran the headline "the curtain falls for Kenteris and Thanou".

Apogevmatini led with statements by Greece's President Costis Stephanopoulos calling the incident "a shame on the Games" and noted that the cat and mouse games of the last few days insulted the world's intelligence.

Kenteris, Thanou to face criminal probe - source

Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou face a criminal investigation over missed drugs tests and a motorcycle accident, a judicial source told Reuters yesterday.

"The State Prosecutor Dimitris Papangelopoulos has ordered two prosecutors to officially investigate the incident involving the sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.

"They will report the findings to him," the source said.