|
Patience wearing thin as sprinters’ trial postponed for 5th time
By Christopher Galakoutis
| Sunday, November 15 2009 12:57:53 AM |
| |
|
|
The Athens trial of the Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou was, much to our disappointment, postponed yet again earlier this week.
Originally filed in November of 2004 after a three-month criminal investigation into the worst sports scandal in modern Greek history, a three-member Magistrate's court in Athens was to preside over the case involving an alleged motorbike crash on August 12 of that year, the eve of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games opening ceremonies.
| |
|
|
RELATED |
|
STORIES |
|
Motorbike accidents are not uncommon in Greece, where the country leads the EU with appalling road accident statistics. But the athletes and others stand accused of the misdemeanor offences of faking the crash to avoid being drug tested, and for making false statements about it to police.
Also named is former coach Christos Tzekos, as well as seven doctors of the KAT hospital that are accused of “infringement of duty” and “false certification.” Two witnesses are also named, in what the Greek public prosecutor has described as the “monkey-business” road accident.
In a recent interview, Mr. Tzekos explained there was no reason for anyone to have faked the crash, since the missed Athens tests of 7pm that evening -- the 3rd in less than a year for the duo -- had sealed the athletes’ fate. Knowing that fate, there was no reason to fake an accident hours later, he said.
Perhaps new perspectives have been gained with the passage of time. Initially, reports suggested the athletes were rushing back to the Olympic village to submit to the tests after learning they had been summoned. The official finding, however, was that the athletes were never adequately notified of the missed tests on that fateful evening, hence the lone suspension of Mr. Tzekos by the Greek athletics federation in 2005, after it was determined that he was the last in the chain of communication concerning those tests.
|
|
|
Exclusive: Thanou rejects IOC offer of Sydney gold
Aug 7, 2009
Katerina Thanou issues scathing reply to IOC
July 30, 2008
A Tale of Two Sprinters
April 19, 2008
One down, one to go for Katerina Thanou
March 31, 2008
IOC and Greek sprinter in tense standoff
December 12, 2007
Christos Tzekos: I played my country's game...not the IAAF's
November 26, 2007
IOC considering immoral actions for ‘moral’ reasons
November 25, 2007 |
|
Sevastis weighs in on Thanou case, says critics are hypocrites
October 18, 2007
Katerina Thanou once again at center of the storm
October 7, 2007
Gold medal 'reporting' of Ohuruogu victory
August 29, 2007
Thanou return: Birmingham boos, jeers a symptom of wider disease
March 4, 2007
Suspensions end, WADA comes calling
December 23, 2006
Dr. Gregory Ioannidis Interview
December 19, 2006
Katerina Thanou to Britain: Much ado about nothing
October 26, 2006
Kenteris/Thanou case, and its troubling reporting, finally comes to an end
June 27, 2006 |
Sources have confided to HellenicAthletes.com that the events of that evening in Athens may have been linked to events from earlier that day at the US training base in Crete, where reports alleged that America’s star sprinter Maurice Greene had also been targeted for testing, but not found. If that was the case, it was a high stakes game of tit-for-tat that backfired on the Greeks.
Whatever transpired that day, the Greek people deserve to know the truth about the events that shamed the nation on its grandest stage.
We have long been critical of what we feel are witch-hunts and double standards when it comes to the treatment of these athletes by the sports’ governing bodies -- the IOC and IAAF. However, continued delays in the resolution of their Athens court case chips away at the empathy some may continue to feel towards them. Greece has a 10-year statute of limitations on such trials, after which charges are dropped. With the new trial date set for September 22 of next year, that will be more than six years from the evening in question.
Given the delays to date, four additional years do not appear to be much of a stretch, and might very well be the strategy. But flipping the bird at the entire world would be hard to accept, even for the most hardened of supporters.
*****
.jpg) |
|
Chris Galakoutis is a business and sports writer, as well as the founder and managing editor of HellenicAthletes.com. He can be reached at Chris@hellenicathletes.com
|
© 2009 HellenicAthletes.com.
All Rights Reserved.
This article may NOT be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of the author, in accordance with United States and international copyright laws. Selective quotations are permissible as long as the author and this web site are acknowledged through hyperlink to: www.hellenicathletes.com
|
|
