Hammer champion Annus stripped of gold medal

Olympic men's hammer champion Adrian Annus has been stripped of his gold medal after failing to take a drugs test, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said yesterday.

The Hungarian failed to meet an IOC deadline on Friday to submit a urine sample or lose the gold.

The IOC's disciplinary commission opened its hearing on the final day of the Games, exactly one week after Annus won the gold.

Annus, who returned to Hungary and announced his retirement from sport after winning his medal, provided a negative dope test after the competition. The IOC called for a second out-of-competition test after suspicions were raised he may have used a contraption to dupe testers.

His compatriot Robert Fazekas was stripped of his discus gold medal for refusing to provide a complete urine sample following last Monday's final. Testers suspected him of trying to submit somebody else's urine rather than his own.

Drug testers were dispatched to Annus's western Hungary home last week but were unable to track the athlete down.