Prosecutor says Kenteris and Thanou faked bike crash
Former sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou should be found guilty of faking a motorcycle accident to avoid a doping test at the 2004 Athens Olympics, a prosecutor has told the Athens court hearing their case.
“The police found no trace of an accident at the scene where the two athletes claimed it took place,» said prosecutor Giorgos Petros.
Petros also requested that the sprinters coach at the time, Christos Tzekos, and the doctors at KAT Hospital that treated the athletes be found guilty of misconduct, although he acknowledged that in the medics? case, they had made decisions in difficult circumstances.
The trial will continue with statements from the defence. A panel of three judges is expected to issue a ruling as early as next week.
Thanou and Kenteris claim they fell off their motorcycle on their way to the Olympic Village to take part in a doping test. They missed the test and were banned from the Games.
Thanou, a silver medalist in the 100 meters at the 2000 Olympics, and Kenteris who won gold in the 200 meters at the same Games, were among the favorites to win medals in Athens.
The athletes and Tzekos have claimed that authorities tried to set the sprinters up so they would fail a doping test.
