Drug mystery sends hosts into shock

The Olympics were in chaos today after Greece's national icon Kostas Kenteris faced the humiliation of being thrown out of the Athens Games because of a doping scandal just hours before tonight's opening ceremony.

Amid scenes of high drama here, it emerged early this morning that Kenteris, the Olympic 200 metres champion, and his training partner Katerina Thanou, the 100m women's silver medallist at the 2000 Sydney Games, spent the night in hospital after a motorcycle crash hours after having been accused of missing tests.

Despite claims from Greek officials that the pair were too badly injured to attend a disciplinary hearing this morning, the International Olympic Committee demanded them to appear before them to face charges of avoiding dope testers.

But the hearing started without them and they were represented in their absence by an official from the Greek Olympic team.Earlier, Greek Olympic team spokesman George Gakis said: "The athletes will not be leaving hospital, they are there, it is known they are there, and if the IOC committee wants to go down there and listen to what they have to say that is up to them."

As the row between the Greeks and Olympic officials escalated, it emerged that Patrick Schamasch, the IOC's medical director, went to the hospital to order them to attend the hearing.

Deputy team chief Manolis Kolimbadis insisted it would be up to doctors as to whether they were fit enough to be released.