Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 04-08-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] SILVER "MERMAIDS"

[02] MAGIC AND INNUENDOS

[03] "GOLDEN" HONESTY BY A TAXI DRIVER

[04] IAAF: KENTERIS AND THANOU CAN COMPETE

[05] KARAMANLIS-PAPADOPOULOS MEETING

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

[07] THE DEPUTY GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE PROTEST AGAINST THE POWELL VISIT

[08] THE KENTERIS-THANOU CASE TO THE IAAF

[01] SILVER "MERMAIDS"

The Women's Greek National Water Polo team fought until the last second but unfortunately it was unable to win the gold in the Water Polo final. The girls of coach Koulis Iosifidis were defeated by the Italians 10-9 in overtime and won the silver medal while the gold went to the Italian team.

In spite of the bitterness of the defeat the Greek mermaids wrote history by winning the first Olympic medal for Greece in a team sport.

The United States team won the bronze medal after defeating Australia 6-5.

[02] MAGIC AND INNUENDOS

It felt like an earthquake, an unbelievable tremor, a whole mountain pushing me forward. A magic that is very hard to describe, stated Fani Chalkia, the gold medallist in the Women's 400 m hurdles, referring to the role of the sports fans in her victory yesterday.

Chalkia denied information according to which, her coach Giorgos Panagiotopoulos is associated with Christos Tzekos and attributed her incredible personal improvement recorded during the past year to hard training.

The newspaper Daily Telegraph expresses the hope that the Greeks will continue to celebrate the victory won by Fani Chalkia after the suspicions that fell on Kenteris and Thanou, while The Guardian mentions that Panagiotopoulos follows the same tactic with Tzekos and participates in very few sports competitions.

[03] "GOLDEN" HONESTY BY A TAXI DRIVER

The taxi driver, who found and returned the silver medal to Dutch rowing silver medallist Simon Diederik, wins the gold in honesty.

Yiannis Zavos, 42, spotted the medal at the back seat of his cab and the next morning took it to the Attiki Taxi Drivers Union.

The truth is that I tried it on at home. I became an Olympic medallist for a while. I couldn't resist. The thing is that I gave the chance to my wife to start making comments. I think that she was making fun of me, said Mr. Zavos.

But was it easy for him to give it back? Mr. Zavos said: It was out of the question for me to keep it. I said to myself that I had to give it back first thing the next morning. This was not my medal. Somebody had worked very hard to win it and had to take it back.

[04] IAAF: KENTERIS AND THANOU CAN COMPETE

The Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou case took a new turn after today's meeting of the Track and Field World Federation, IAAF, Board of Directors.

According to the IAAF decision, beginning on August 30 the two Greek champions and their coach Christos Tzekos can compete again until a final decision is reached.

Based on the IAAF rationale, an order to launch an investigation was given today in which the evidence collected by the IOC and the Greek judicial authorities will be taken under consideration. A three-member IAAF committee will assess the evidence and then forward it to SEGAS, the Hellenic Amateur Athletic Association.

SEGAS will call the two champions and their coach to a hearing and then present the findings to the IAAF. The final decision on Kenteris and Thanou is expected around Christmas.

[05] KARAMANLIS-PAPADOPOULOS MEETING

The developments in Cyprus dominated in today's meeting of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis with Cypriot President Tassos Papadopoulos in Athens.

They also discussed the Olympic Games and Mr. Karamanlis invited Mr. Papadopoulos to watch together the Women's Water Polo final to take place this afternoon in which Greece will face Italy for the gold.

In the meeting were also present Greek Foreign Minister Petros Moliviatis and Cyprus' ambassador to Athens Leonidas Pantelidis.

[06] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +0.96% at 2304.25 points, while the volume of transactions was small at 80.475 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 146 had gains and 118 had losses, while the value of 107 stocks remained unchanged.

[07] THE DEPUTY GOV'T SPOKESMAN ON THE PROTEST AGAINST THE POWELL VISIT

The Greek citizens have the right to express themselves anyway they want. However, we are certain that they will respect the fact that moments are crucial and will express themselves in the appropriate way.

Greek deputy government spokesman Vangelis Antonaros made the statement above responding to the question if the protest march scheduled to take place in view of US Secretary of State Colin Powell visit to Athens could be banned.

[08] THE KENTERIS-THANOU CASE TO THE IAAF

The Track and Field World Federation, IAAF, Board of Directors examines the case of Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou who failed to take a drug test 24 hours before the opening of the 28th Olympic Games in Athens.

The IAAF is expected to decide if it will launch an indictment procedure against the two Greek track and field champions and their coach Christos Tzekos but will not reach a decision on penalties.

For the record, Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou maintained in the IOC Disciplinary Commission hearing that they have never used banned substances.

Meanwhile, Meletis Zografos, who appeared in a television channel with his face covered and maintained that he was the eyewitness in the motorcycle accident in which Kenteris and Thanou were involved, was arrested yesterday. Zografos had been sentenced in absentia to 14 months in prison after found guilty of theft and usurpation of authority.

According to other information, the Cypriot Sports Organization had rejected a proposal made by Christos Tzekos to train the Cypriot athletes in view of the Olympic Games in Athens for the sum of 1.5 million euros.

The judicial inquiry on the Kenteris-Thanou case is underway, while the responsible authorities continue to collect evidence.

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