Thanou set to face review

Drugs-tainted Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou is set to face a disciplinary review as she bids to compete in the Beijing Olympics.

Thanou announced on Wednesday she would race in Beijing after meeting qualifying standards.

But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has warned the sprinter, who was banned in 2004 for two years, it will look into the matter.

IOC spokesperson Emmanuelle Moreau said: "If it is confirmed that she is on the list selected by the Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC), a disciplinary commission will meet in Beijing next week to discuss this.

New procedure

"We have informed the Hellenic Olympic Committee by letter this week (that) should it select Thanou we intend to initiate a new procedure."

The HOC does not have an Olympic lifetime ban for drugs offenders and confirmed on Thursday that Thanou was on their final list of athletes for next month's Games.

"She is on the list. I don't know if it was sent to organisers yesterday or will be sent today, but she is on this list," an HOC official said.

Thanou, 33, who won silver in the 100m at the Sydney 2000 Games, was forced to withdraw in disgrace and was then banned after missing a drugs test along with Costas Kenteris on the eve of the Athens Games.

She has been eligible to compete since December 2006 but has raced only occasionally since.

Right

The IOC had said in 2004 that as Thanou and Kenteris surrendered their accreditations voluntarily their case was closed but the body retained the right to review their eligibility for future Games.

Meanwhile, Hungarian discus thrower Robert Fazekas is making an Olympic comeback after a suspension.

Fazekas, who missed out on a gold medal in Athens due to a doping violation, qualified late on Tuesday.

He lost his Athens gold after failing to provide a sufficient urine sample but returned to competition in 2007 after a two-year ban.

Hungarian athletics officials said it would have been "unethical" to object after he qualified legitimately.