Leonidas Sampanis, the Greek weightlifter, added to the host nation’s embarrassment today when he was stripped of his bronze medal after failing a drugs test.
Sampanis, who won his bronze in the 62kg competition, was disqualified by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board.
The decision follows the withdrawal from the Games of Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou following their missed drugs test.
The IOC said Sampanis, 32, had tested positive for twice the allowed amount of testosterone.
Sampanis protested his innocence on Greek TV yesterday after appearing before IOC disciplinary commission.
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He said: ”I have never used such substances. I have passed many doping tests and none has ever tested positive.
”I also want to tell the Greek people that I swear to God and to my two little angels (children) that I have never taken any such substances. I want you all to believe me.”