Thanou slams IOC over late Games ruling

Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou has slammed the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to delay a hearing on her participation in the Beijing Games until the eve of the Opening Ceremony.

The IOC informed Thanou's legal team late on Thursday that the meeting, which was due to be held this weekend, would now take place on August 7.

Breaking a four-year silence to speak publicly at a press conference in Athens yesterday, Thanou, who served a two-year ban for missing a doping test on the eve of the Athens Games four years ago, also questioned the IOC's motives.

"What is going on for athletes to achieve qualification and to come under such pressure not to compete in the Olympic Games?" she said.

"I will not now go to Beijing until Aug. 13. If these issues didn't exist I would already be there. I think this situation is unfair.

"The meeting will take place on August 7 and the decision may be announced on the 8th because of the Opening Ceremony but perhaps not until the 9th or 10th."

The first round of the women's 100 metres is on August 16.

Thanou's lawyer Gregory Ioannidis said that although the IOC had still not explained the charges against Thanou, they had requested the file on a criminal case against her in Greece which is still ongoing and would be heard in early 2009.