Greek duo cleared

Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have been cleared of faking a crash on the eve of the 2004 Olympic Games.

Kenteris and Thanou acquitted by Greek court

Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou have finally been cleared of faking a crash after missing a drugs test on the eve of the 2004 Olympic Games. A prosecutor had recommended on Monday that the pair be acquitted - with that verdict backed by a panel of three judges on Tuesday. Kenteris and Thanou had been found guilty of perjury in May and handed suspended 31-month jail sentences but they immediately outlined their intentions to appeal. The court upheld a conviction on the athletes' coach Christos Tzekos on charges of possession and storage of illegal substances but acquitted him of a perjury charge relating to the motorbike crash. His sentence was reduced from 33 months imprisonment to a 12-month suspended sentence. Kenteris, 38, won gold in the 200m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. At the same Games Thanou, 36, won silver in the 100m.