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London 2012 Olympics: Greek high jumper Dimitrios Chondrokoukis out of Games following positive drug test
Dimitris Chondrokoukis, the Greek world indoor high jump champion and one of the main rivals to Britain’s Robbie Grabarz for the Olympic gold, has been withdrawn from the Games and faces a two-year ban after failing a drug test for an anabolic steroid, it was announced on Thursday.
Drug cheat: Dimitrios Chondrokoukis celebrates winning the gold in the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul earlier this year Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Simon Hart9:00PM BST 26 Jul 2012
The 24 year-old, who was considered Greece’s best chance of a track and field medal in London, tested positive for stanozolol – the same banned steroid that was used by disgraced Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson when he won the 100 metres at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Spyros Kapralos, the Greek Olympic Committee president, said: “We will not tolerate doping. We want to get many medals. However, we want clean medals.”
Kyriakos Chondrokoukis, the athlete’s father and coach, confirmed that his son had failed a drug test following an unannounced, out-of-competition visit by testers nine days ago.
“My son will not be participating in the Olympics, leaving an unfulfilled dream,” Kyriakos said, adding that he had asked for the 'B’ sample to be tested to confirm the result. He also announced that he had informed the Greek athletics federation that he was resigning after 14 years as a coach.
“Although we believe the story is unrealistic, we have no intention to challenge the result of this test,” he said. “The paradox of the use of such an easily detectible banned substance by a recent world champion who is under the microscope of doping control authorities, and on the eve of the Games, is blatantly obvious.”
Dimitris Chondrokoukis, the Greek world indoor high jump champion and one of the main rivals to Britain’s Robbie Grabarz for the Olympic gold, has been withdrawn from the Games and faces a two-year ban after failing a drug test for an anabolic steroid, it was announced on Thursday.
Drug cheat: Dimitrios Chondrokoukis celebrates winning the gold in the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul earlier this year Photo: GETTY IMAGES
By Simon Hart9:00PM BST 26 Jul 2012
The 24 year-old, who was considered Greece’s best chance of a track and field medal in London, tested positive for stanozolol – the same banned steroid that was used by disgraced Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson when he won the 100 metres at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Spyros Kapralos, the Greek Olympic Committee president, said: “We will not tolerate doping. We want to get many medals. However, we want clean medals.”
Kyriakos Chondrokoukis, the athlete’s father and coach, confirmed that his son had failed a drug test following an unannounced, out-of-competition visit by testers nine days ago.
“My son will not be participating in the Olympics, leaving an unfulfilled dream,” Kyriakos said, adding that he had asked for the 'B’ sample to be tested to confirm the result. He also announced that he had informed the Greek athletics federation that he was resigning after 14 years as a coach.
“Although we believe the story is unrealistic, we have no intention to challenge the result of this test,” he said. “The paradox of the use of such an easily detectible banned substance by a recent world champion who is under the microscope of doping control authorities, and on the eve of the Games, is blatantly obvious.”