Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-08-16

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] A 48-HOUR EXTENSION

[02] SABANIS A CONTENDER FOR THE GOLD IN WEIGHTLIFTING

[03] KENTERIS-THANOU TO BE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

[04] LOSSES IN THE ASE

[05] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE KENTERIS-THANOU ISSUE

[06] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE SMALL PARTICIPATION OF SPORTS FANS IN THE OLYMPIC

[07] PROSECUTOR INTERVENTION ON THE FIRE DURING MRS. ANGELOPOULOS-DASKALAKI

[08] URGENT PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON THE KENTERIS-THANOU CASE

[09] MEDICAL EXAMINER ON THE KENTERIS-THANOU CASE

[01] A 48-HOUR EXTENSION

The IOC Disciplinary Commission gave a new 48-hour time extension to Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou to appear before it in person. The decision was made in the IOC Disciplinary Commission meeting today held to examine the accusations against the two athletes who missed a drug test last Thursday.

Present in the meeting was their coach Christos Tzekos who upon his arrival to attend the meeting reiterated that everything was done according to regulations. The two sprinters, who are still hospitalized after a motorcycle accident in the evening of the day they missed the drug test, were represented in the commission meeting by their lawyer Michalis Dimitrakopoulos.

[02] SABANIS A CONTENDER FOR THE GOLD IN WEIGHTLIFTING

The 28th Olympic Games in Athens continue for a third day today and the eyes of all Greek sports fans are set on Leonidas Sabanis with the hope that he will win the first Olympic medal in weightlifting.

The lighter athlete in the Greek weightlifting team of coach Christos Iakovou will compete this evening at 8 pm in the 62 kg category.

The goal set by Leonidas Sabanis is to win a medal, the first for Greece, and open the door for further successes to the athletes competing in the following days.

Greek Hara Kastritsi competes today in the women's weightlifting 58 kg category but she has no hope for a medal.

[03] KENTERIS-THANOU TO BE RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou will be released from the KAT Hospital in Athens tomorrow if their health condition continues to improve in a satisfactory manner. Their doctors characterize their condition as good.

The above are mentioned in the latest medical bulletin signed by all the doctors treating the two athletes. They also mention that all necessary medical tests were completed late this afternoon.

[04] LOSSES IN THE ASE

Losses were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index dropped to -0.43% at 2245.53 points, while the volume of transactions was very small at 77.9 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, just 39 had gains and the overwhelming majority of 236 had losses, while the value of 128 stocks remained unchanged.

[05] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE KENTERIS-THANOU ISSUE

Minister of State and government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos reiterated today the government's firm position to refrain from commenting on statements made by Hellenic Republic President Kostis Stephanopoulos when he was asked by reporters to refer to the recent statement of discontent made by the President on the Kenteris-Thanou issue.

Mr. Rousopoulos stated that the government commented from the first moment that this case is not pleasant reminding that Greece is the country of Olympism the ideals of which must be promoted. He added that everybody must observe the existing regulations, adding that the IOC has the exclusive authority over the issue.

Referring to the essence of the issue, Mr. Rousopoulos stated that the government will launch an effort aimed at the purification of the sports sector.

Mr. Rousopoulos also stated that Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou will give a statement to the police on the conditions that led to the motorcycle accident they were involved in and when the investigation is completed, probably when the games will be over, the government will announce the way in which it intends to deal with such issues without any trace of hypocrisy.

[06] ROUSOPOULOS ON THE SMALL PARTICIPATION OF SPORTS FANS IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Usually, the stadiums are not full during the first days of the Olympic Games, observed Greek government spokesman Thodoris Rousopoulos responding to a question concerning the small participation of sports fans in the first Olympic Games events.

Mr. Rousopoulos also pointed out that the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee has announced that it has met the target set in terms of ticket sales.

[07] PROSECUTOR INTERVENTION ON THE FIRE DURING MRS. ANGELOPOULOS-DASKALAKI PARTY

The case concerning the forest fire that broke out last Saturday night after a fireworks display during a reception at the house of Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Mrs. Yianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki in Filothei, Athens caused the intervention of head prosecutor Dimitris Papangelopoulos.

Filothei Mayor Theofrastos Economidis has filed a lawsuit and the investigation ordered by the prosecutor will determine whether there is penal offence on behalf of the company that undertook the fireworks display, if it had a legal permit and if the responsible authorities had been informed in advance.

[08] URGENT PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ON THE KENTERIS-THANOU CASE

Head prosecutor Dimitris Papangelopoulos ordered an urgent preliminary investigation on the case of Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.

According to the order issued by the head prosecutor, the preliminary investigation has to parts. The first concerns the alleged anti-doping violation and the second the motorcycle accident the two athletes were involved in.

Specifically, Mr. Papangelopoulos assigned to two prosecutors to examine whether there is evidence for anti-doping violation on behalf of athletes and sports officials as well as the conditions that led to the motorcycle accident.

Earlier, the head prosecutor had ordered medical examiner Philippos Koutsaftis to visit the two athletes in the KAT Hospital in Athens and examine them.

[09] MEDICAL EXAMINER ON THE KENTERIS-THANOU CASE

Medical examiner Philippos Koutsaftis went to the KAT Hospital in Athens today within the framework of the investigation ordered by prosecutor Dimitris Papangelopoulos to be fully briefed on the case involving the two Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou.

Meanwhile, Glifada Traffic Police officers also visited the two athletes at the hospital to take additional statements from them on the conditions that led to their motorcycle accident on Thursday night.

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