Kenteris in hospital until Sunday

Greek athletics icon Kostas Kenteris is wearing a neck brace and will remain hospitalised until Sunday at the earliest following the motorcycle accident which came hours after his missed drugs test.

He and fellow sprint medal hopeful Katerina Thanou, who also missed a random drugs test yesterday, have been declared unfit to leave by doctors.

Kenteris and Thanou were admitted in the early hours of this morning to the KAT hospital in Athens after the accident which happened shortly after midnight.

They were visited in hospital this morning by the IOC medical officer Patrick Schamasch whose mission it was to assess whether either or both would be able to evidence to an International Olympic Committee disciplinary committee.

“The two are staying hospitalised for the next 48 hours,” said a statement from the hospital this afternoon.

Their injuries are not serious, but they are sufficiently significant for doctors to keep them under observation.

Earlier, Olympic supremo Dr Jacques Rogge commented for the first time on the missed drugs tests and asked for patience as an inquiry began.

The 200metres gold medallist from Sydney, Kostas Kenteris, and 100m silver medallist Katerina Thanou did not show for tests.

“The IOC has launched a disciplinary inquiry into these cases and I, of course, have not got the results yet,” said the International Olympic Committee president.

“We’re waiting for the results and the executive committee will make a decision about that.”

Rogge’s press conference to launch the Games – “we are optimistic that our Greek friends will deliver an excellent Games,” – was hijacked by questions regarding Kenteris and Thanou.

Rogge was asked to confirm whether or not Kenteris and Thanou eventually took a test last night and to reveal how the athletes were this morning following their motorcycle accident.

He replied: “On the first question, there was no test taken yesterday. On the second question…I don’t know.”

The issue of whether the IOC would consider stripping Kenteris of his gold in Sydney should a doping offence be proven was then raised.

Rogge was asked if the IOC might treat the case of Kenteris and Thanou – Greek athletics heroes – sympathetically with the Athens Games about to get underway.

He responded: “The fact that they are Greek will have absolutely no impact on the disciplinary committee of the IOC.”

Rogge said it would be “a victory for the Games” if there were positive drug tests during the course of the Olympics.

Kenteris would have been a candidate to be Greece’s flag-bearer in tonight’s opening ceremony.

However, it was announced this morning that weightlifter Pyrros Dimas, chasing a fourth gold medal, would be given the honour.

The IOC disciplinary commission hearing investigating the Kenteris and Thanou case consists of a three-man committee made up of Athens co-ordination committee chairman Denis Oswald, Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergei Bubka and IOC vice-president Thomas Bach.