In the opinion of the IOC Disciplinary Commission the Athlete was involved in unacceptable behaviour on the occasion of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, even if she did not finally participate therein, she caused a very serious prejudice to the Olympic Movement by being the cause of a major scandal which was widely covered and reported in the world media. She put the Olympic Movement into disrepute.
Some of the acts which the Athlete committed at the time in 2004 are the following, apart from escaping doping controls:
- repeatedly pretending she had a traffic accident;
- giving false testimony to the authorities under oath in relation to such non-existent traffic accident;
- causing 3 medical doctors to issue false medical certificates;
- causing six medical doctors to hospitalise her for five days in order to avoid IOC controls;
- postponing her appearance in front of the IOC Disciplinary Commission, thus seeking to avoid a sanction of disqualification from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and possible exclusion from future Olympic Games.
Hereafter the Athlete declared on 18 August 2004 her withdrawal from the Athens Olympic Games and surrendered her Olympic identity and accreditation cards.
In August 2004, the IOC did not take a decision as to the Athlete’s participation in any future Olympic Games. She did not participate in the 2004 Games. This is why the IOC Executive Board resolved to leave the matter open.
Subsequently, following her procedure for violation of anti-doping rules conducted by the IAAF and which reached the CAS, the Athlete signed on 28 June 2006 a settlement agreement in which, in particular, she finally acknowledged what she had persistently denied. She accepted that she had breached the IAAF rules in Athens. She agreed to a period of ineligibility of two years which was to end on 22 December 2006.
In 2008 the Athlete applied for participation at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. She was entered on 23 July 2008 by the Hellenic Olympic Committee as an Athlete.
The IOC Disciplinary Commission concludes that the fact remains that the previous charges against the Athlete constitute more than serious indications of a pattern of gross misconduct incompatible with the Olympic Charter and the spirit of Olympism.
The Disciplinary Commission considers that the Athlete’s attitude is unacceptable. In 2004, she never acknowledged or admitted any breach of any anti-doping rules. On the contrary, she tried by all means to avoid any testing as well as escaping her responsibilities, accepting even to position herself as a victim in a highly doubtful motorcycle accident, thus escaping once more an occasion of being tested. After persistently denying any wrongdoing, she chose the most suitable time (June 2006), six months before the end of her suspension, to enter into a settlement with the IAAF.
On 10 August 2008 the IOC Executive Board, as recommended by the IOC Disciplinary Commission, decides that:
1.) the athlete Ms Ekaterini Thanou is declared ineligible to participate in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the sport of athletics and in any other capacity;
2.) the Athlete’s entry in the 2008 Olympic Games is refused;
3.) her accreditation is cancelled and withdrawn;
4.) the Hellenic Olympic Committee and BOCOG ensure full implementation of the IOC Executive Board decision.
