ATHENS, Aug 17: Greece's Olympic 200metres champion Kostadinos Kenteris, who faces exclusion from the Athens Olympics for failing to show up at a doping test, insisted Tuesday he is not a drugs cheat.
"I suffer a great injustice. With all sincerity, I have never made use of illegal substances," Kenteris said. The sprinter was speaking as he left hospital where he has been treated since Friday for minor injuries suffered in a mysterious motorbike accident hours after he failed to show up at the test.
Kenteris and training partner Ekaterini Thanou have recovered from their injuries in the accident which is said to have happened hours after they failed to attend a mandatory drugs test last Thursday.
Kenteris and Thanou are due to learn their fate at the hands of the IOC's Disciplinary Commission on Wednesday. A Greek sports official has said that Kenteris and Thanou, silver medallist in the 100 metres at the 2000 Games, panicked when being warned that they might undergo a drugs test in the athletes' village.
"After crucifixion comes resurrection," Kenteris said. Thanou, who left the hospital separately 30 minutes after Kenteris was equally defiant. The two athletes left hospital for an unknown destinations.
The Greek Olympic Committee (HOC) has excluded them from the country's Olympic team pending the IOC investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, Greek prosecutors continued an investigation into the athletes' mysterious motorcyle accident.
The couple's lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos said the couple fell from the motorbike Kenteris was steering as they were rushing back to the athletes' village after discovering they were wanted for a doping test.
But no accident was reported to police and no ambulance was called to the scene of the accident. Police quizzed the couple in the hospital on Monday morning about the accident. Sources told AFP the decision to launch the probe was caused by contradictions in the couple's statements. -AFP
