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Greek lifters testify

ATHENS: The 11 Greek weightlifters who tested positive for banned substances testified on Sunday before a commission set up by the country’s weightlifting federation.

The athletes, whose names have not been released, were being called one by one to appear before the committee at the federation’s offices. Deputy head coach Valerios Leonidis, a silver medalist at the Atlanta Olympics, also testified Sunday.

“I am here to help with the investigation and so are the athletes. This is no time for speculation,” Leonidis told reporters. “Whatever supplements the athletes take, they take with the approval of the (federation’s) health committee.”

Head coach Christos Iakovou, whose father died on Friday, the day the doping scandal came into light, will testify on Monday.

Greek sports authorities say they will not comment on the case until the result of the athletes’ “B” samples are made public next week. However, several local media have reported that the first samples showed traces of an anabolic steroid, an opiate and an estrogen suppressor.

The tests were conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency on March 7, on orders of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF). — AP

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