Source: www.insidethegames.biz
By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
Controversial Greek sprinter Ekaterina Thanou, at the centre of one of the biggest doping scandals in sports history, has not been given the Olympic 100 metres gold stripped from Marion Jones at the Sydney Games in 2000, as it has been reported, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) claimed.
It had been claimed by HellenicAthletes.com that Thanou, who had finished second in the race behind Jones, had received the medal in a confidential agreement with the IOC shortly before Christmas last year.
"The IOC was not expected to make any formal announcement, as·it is seeking to not publicise or make official the news that it had seen fit to reverse its 2009 decision to leave the gold medal spot vacant rather than awarding the top prize from one of the marquee events of any Olympic Games to the controversial Greek athlete," reported the website, which has broken several major stories about Thanou and her training partner, Kostas Kederis.
"It is understood Ms. Thanou is not entirely happy with this outcome but is unwilling to pursue any further action."
The IOC had ruled in December 2009 that they would not reallocate the gold medal taken away from Jones after she belatedly confssed to doping and then served time in a Texas federal prison for perjury.
But they decided the medal should not be inherited by Thanou, who was banned by the IOC from Olympic competition in 2008 after she missed three compulsory drug tests within 18 months.
It meant that it was the first time since the Olympics had started in 1896 that no gold medal would be awarded in an event.
The IOC has told insidethegames that Thanou's claims are untrue.
"This is simply not the case," a spokesman said.
Thanou and Kederis, the 2000 Olympic 200m champion, are currently involved in a criminal trial in Athens where they are facing charges over a motorcycle accident, which occurred just after they had missed a doping test on the eve of Athens 2004.
They are accused of making false statements and causing doctors to issue false testimony regarding their wounds.
Both deny any wrongdoing.
Kederis and Thanou were favorites to win medals at the Athens Olympics but withdrew from the Games.