Greek Olympic Committee bans doping offenders for life from future torch relays

ATHENS - The Greek Olympic Committee will exclude athletes that have served a doping ban from future Olympic torch relays.

The move comes following criticism from the International Olympic Committee over the participation of banned hurdler Fani Halkia in the Vancouver flame relay last week.

"The Hellenic Olympic Committee has decided … that an athlete who has been disciplined for the use of banned substances be banned from carrying the (Olympic Flame) for life," the HOC said Wednesday in a statement.

Halkia, the 2004 Olympic 400-metre hurdles champion, was expelled from the 2008 Beijing Games after testing positive for an anabolic steroid. The IOC called the inclusion of Halkia in the recent torch relay "inappropriate and a regrettable mistake."

The Greek committee (HOC) also decided that it now will have to approve the list of torch carriers.

Halkia had been invited to carry the flame at the recommendation of the Greek Olympic medallists' association, on whose board Halkia serves.

Olympic Torch Relay Commission president Spyros Zannias admitted that he had written Halkia a letter inviting her to take part in the torch relay and offered his resignation, which was not accepted. Some HOC members, mostly opponents of president Spyros Kapralos, stormed out of the session before it was over.

Fourteen other Greek athletes, including 11 weightlifters, tested positive for the same steroid, methyltrienolone, before the Beijing Olympics.

Halkia, who was banned for two years and faces trial for steroid use, has denied knowingly taking drugs.