The Hindu : Sport / Olympic Games : IOC bars Thanou

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IOC bars Thanou

BEIJING: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has declared Greek sprinter Ekaterina Thanou ineligible to compete in the Olympic Games.

The IOC declared that the athlete, who had dramatically tried to escape a drug-test prior to the Athens Games, along with former champion Kostadinos Kenteris, was banned from the Beijing Games under Rules 23.2.1 and 45.2.2 of the Olympic Charter.

Thanou and Kenteris had evaded dope-testers at the Athens Games Village on the eve of the last Olympics, bringing huge embarrassment to the host country. They withdrew from the Games when faced with the possibility of being barred. Eventually, both were suspended for two years each by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Faded out

While Kenteris had faded out of the mainstream athletics, Thanou came into prominence once again this season, qualifying for the Olympics and then getting selected by her National federation and Olympic association.

Ever since Greece announced its decision to include Thanou in its team, the IOC had indicated that the final decision would be taken by it, keeping in mind what happened in Athens. Athletes who come back after serving suspensions are normally eligible to compete in all events including the Olympics.

The rules, mentioned in the statement on Sunday, allow the IOC to impose a temporary ineligibility as a disciplinary measure or sanction and refuse entry to any person at its own discretion.

The decision was reached by the Executive Committee of the IOC that met here on Sunday, following recommendations to that effect from the disciplinary commission, to express IOC’s displeasure about Thanou’s actions in 2004 that had brought the Olympic movement into disrepute.

— Special Correspondent

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