Olympics News
Back in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, the famed Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou and fellow sprinter Costas Kenderis allegedly staged a motorcycle accident in order to avoid a doping test.
After many postponements, the trial for Thanou and Kenderis began on January 21. Both sprinters face misdemeanor charges of perjury over the motorcycle accident.
Court papers also say 10 others ar einvolved, including witnesses, the head coach and doctors. If the two are found, they face two years each in prison; the trial has adjourned until April 5.
Both sprinters have denied the misdemeanor charges.
Court papers say the two staged the motorcycle accident on the eve of the 2004 Olympics in Athens so they wouldn’t have to undergo doping tests; if found guilty, this can be as big of a doping scandal as the 1988 Olympics in Seoul when the 100-meter Gold Medalist Ben Johnson had his medal revoked due to testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Kenderis won a gold medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydness (200 meters), and Thanou achieved a silver medal in the 100 meters.