Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Ekaterina Thanou were given a reprieve for missing a doping test but their former coach Christos Tsekos was suspended for four years, the Greek athletics federation said today.
Thirty-one-year-old Kenteris, the 200m Olympic gold medallist at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and Thanou, silver medallist in the 100m, broke doping rules by failing to submit to drug tests on the eve of last year's Olympics in Athens.
They subsequently pulled out of the showpiece events in which both were tipped to be medal winners.
The pair were also charged by Greek police for faking a motorbike accident which resulted in them spending four days in hospital at a time when they were wanted for questioning.
In January, the athletes' lawyer insisted that the two would escape punishment.
The Greek athletics federation's disciplinary commission also examined claims that the duo had skipped drugs tests in Israel and Chicago in the weeks leading up to the Games.
