Greek athletes on trial: Kenteris and Thanou acquitted

An Athens appeals court has acquitted Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou of faking a motorcycle crash in 2004. A panel of three judges ruled there was a lack of evidence to prove the pair staged the crash to avoid a doping test on the eve of the Athens Olympics. The two had been found guilty of perjury in May. A 33-month suspended sentence against coach Christos Tzekos for possessing banned substances was reduced. The now-retired sprinters had vowed to appeal the 31-month suspended sentences handed down to them when they were found guilty of perjury at the culmination of their long-postponed trial in May. On Monday, a prosecutor recommended the pair be acquitted and at Tuesday's hearing, the judges said they could not determine beyond reasonable doubt whether the crash had indeed taken place. They also acquitted seven doctors who treated the runners and two people who said they witnessed the crash, reported AP news agency. Tzekos's conviction for possessing and trading banned substances was upheld, but his sentence reduced to 12 months. Mr Kenteris, 37, won gold in the 200m at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. At the same Games Ms Thanou, 36, won silver in the 100m. They were forced to withdraw from the 2004 Olympics after missing the doping test, but have always protested their innocence.