Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-08-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] COLIN POWELL TO ATTEND THE OLYMPIC GAMES CLOSING CEREMONY

[02] THRILLER WITH SABANIS

[03] EOF INSPECTORS RAIDED STOREHOUSES THAT BELONG TO COACH TZEKOS

[04] KARAMANLIS-ALOGOSKOUFIS MEETING

[05] KAKLAMANAKIS IS 3RD WITH THREE MORE SAILING RACES LEFT

[06] DISCUS THROWS GOOD ENOUGH FOR AN OLYMPIC MEDAL

[01] COLIN POWELL TO ATTEND THE OLYMPIC GAMES CLOSING CEREMONY

US Secretary of State Colin Powell intends to visit Athens, according to the Athens newspaper TO VIMA, to attend the Olympic Games closing ceremony.

The newspaper correspondent to Washington mentioned that, based on information that came out in the US capital on Friday, Mr. Powell will have meetings with Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis and PASOK President Giorgos Papandreou. Among the issues to be discussed will be the Cyprus issue and the EU decision regarding a date for the opening of Turkey's EU accession negotiations.

Another issue to be discussed in the meetings will be Iraq given the fact that Greece will soon have a seat in the UN Security Council. The US Secretary of State will ask Greece to view positively a likely UN request for aid to Iraq.

[02] THRILLER WITH SABANIS

The International Olympic Committee, IOC, Executive Board will meet tomorrow to decide on the fate of Leonidas Sabanis after a drug test in a sample of his urine showed high levels of the banned substance testosterone.

The Olympic bronze medal winner in weightlifting (62 kg) gave explanations to the IOC Disciplinary Commission today, while the test results on a second urine sample will be formally announced this afternoon.

I swear to God and my children that I've never used such substances. I don't want you to abandon me, stated Sabanis in a very emotional state.

The Weightlifting Federation reacted strongly to the allegations stressing that has no doubts about the athlete's innocence.

[03] EOF INSPECTORS RAIDED STOREHOUSES THAT BELONG TO COACH TZEKOS

Illegal drugs that had been confiscated in the past were found in a storehouse of the company that belongs to coach Christos Tzekos, involved in the Kenteris-Thanou case, during a raid conducted by National Organization for Medicines, EOF, inspectors in the presence of a prosecutor.

The search conducted by the EOF inspectors lasted two hours and apart from the anabolics found, which were supposed to have been destroyed back in April 2003, new drugs were found that were sent to EOF to be examined. According to information, the new drugs found came from the US and were illegally distributed by Tzekos as the specific drugs can only be distributed by pharmaceutical stores.

[04] KARAMANLIS-ALOGOSKOUFIS MEETING

The government's plans for the post Olympic Games course of the Greek economy were examined yesterday in the meeting Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis had with Minister of Finance Giorgos Alogoskoufis.

The top priority, as it was confirmed in the meeting, will be to maintain the high growth rate in combination with the mobilization of all the crucial sectors of the Greek economy.

The Prime Minister will present the exact program of the economic policy in Thessaloniki's International Trade Fair next month.

[05] KAKLAMANAKIS IS 3RD WITH THREE MORE SAILING RACES LEFT

Today was the day of Nikos Kaklamanakis as both in the 7th and 8th sailing race in the men's Mistral class he did well finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Kaklamanakis occupies the 3rd place with 33 penalty points and just three more sailing races left.

[06] DISCUS THROWS GOOD ENOUGH FOR AN OLYMPIC MEDAL

Ready to compete for an Olympic medal appeared Greek athletes Tasoula Kelesidou, Katerina Voggoli and Stella Tsikouna, competing in the women's Discus Throw in the preliminary round.

Katerina Voggoli, who holds the Greek record (67.72 m), secured the ticket for the final with a 63.39 m throw in her first attempt.

A little later, Tasoula Kelesidou sent her discus to 64.13 m, also in her first attempt and qualified for the final with the fourth best throw.

Stella Tsikouna, even though she was unable to reach the 62.50 m qualifying limit, finished 9th in the preliminary round with 61.72 m a fact that offered her a place in the finals which appears to be a Greek affair.

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