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Saturday 2 August 2008

Shhh let's not tell the whole story

The BBC are being rather coy about Katerina Thanou Olympic history. In an article entitled " IOC meets amid Beijing concerns" the BBC include some commentary about katerina Thanou, thus:
"The IOC was going to discuss whether to allow Katerina Thanou to compete at the Games, but it seems a final decision has been delayed until next Thursday.

She was one of two Greek sprinters involved in a drug scandal that completely dominated the start of the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

She withdrew from those Games and has since served a two-year doping ban given to her by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

But the IOC has reserved the right to consider her eligibility for these Games.

Ms Thanou's lawyer has threatened to sue the IOC if she is barred from competing."

Odd I thought Ms Thanou was the athlete who according to Wikipedia
"on the day prior to the opening ceremony, Thanou and her training partner Konstantinos Kenteris failed to attend a drugs test, and later the same night were hospitalised, claiming they had both been injured in a motorcycle accident. In the ensuing doping scandal, Kenteris and Thanou announced their withdrawal from the Games on August 18 after a hearing before the Disciplinary Commission of the IOC, for what they described to be "in the interests of the country." An official Greek investigation into their alleged accident, ruled that it had been staged.

The missed test in Athens was the duo's third violation of the summer and they were consequently provisionally suspended by the IAAF on 22 December 2004. In June 2005, however, the athletes were cleared of all charges by the Greek athletics federation. Their coach Christos Tsekos was blamed for the missed tests and suspended for four years, but was cleared on separate allegations of distributing banned substances. After a long legal battle, on 26 June 2006 prior to a final ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the athletes reached an out of court settlement with the IAAF accepting anti-doping rule violations of 3 missed tests between 27 July and 12 August 2004 (in breach of Rule 32.2(d)) and a failure to provide a urine and a blood sample on 12 August 2004 (in breach of Rule 32.2(c)). In return, the more serious charges against them, those of evasion and refusal to provide a sample, were dropped.[1] They have been eligible to compete since 22 December 2006."

Just the sort of athlete that should feel right at home in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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