False start to the Games, courtesy the dope dodgers

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) spared Greece major embarrassment on the opening day of the Athens Games on Friday by granting its two top sprinters more time to explain why they missed a dope test.

A 72-hour extension for Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou, after they failed to show up for a Friday disciplinary commission drugs’ tribunal, was perhaps only a postponement of what could still turn into a national scandal. The sprinters are in hospital after being injured in a mystery overnight motorcycle accident. Both were said to be stable and not seriously hurt but have been ordered to stay in medical care for at least two more days. An IOC statement said: ‘‘In order to ensure a fair process and give due consideration to the athletes the disciplinary commission has decided to postpone the hearing until Monday, August 16.’’

Sprinting away

• It all started when on Monday by Greek Olympic team manager Yiannis Papadoyiannakis said that Kenteris, who was expected to light the cauldron, was in Chicago and would miss the opening ceremony on Friday.

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• Soon it surfaced that Kenteris was neither in Chicago or Greeece. According to his coach he was in Germany,

• On Wednesday Kenteris and Katerina Thanou checked into the Olympic Village.

• When IOC drug testers visited the Village Kenteris and Thanou vanished. The Greece manager did not know their whereabouts.

• As the dope testing deadline on Thursday passed, the Greeks asked for an extension to enable the athletes to return.

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• On Friday Greek media reported the pair on their way back to the village to give blood or urine samples landed in hospital after a motorcycle accident.