Ekaterini Thanou facts for kids

Ekaterini Thanou (born February 1, 1975), also known as Katerina Thanou, is a former Greek sprinter. She was a very successful athlete, especially in the 100 metres race. She won a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. She also became the European champion in 2002 in Munich, Germany. Ekaterini was also a world and European champion in the 60 metres indoor race.

In 2007, another athlete, Marion Jones, admitted to using banned substances. She had won the gold medal in the 100 metres at the 2000 Olympics, with Thanou finishing second. The International Olympic Committee took away Jones's gold medal. However, they did not give it to Thanou because she also had issues related to rule-breaking.

Ekaterini Thanou was recognized as the Greek Female Athlete of the Year four times: in 1995, 2000, 2001, and 2002.

Facing Challenges and Rules

For the 2004 Summer Olympics held in her home country, Greece, many people hoped Thanou would win a medal. However, just before the Games began, she and her training partner, Konstantinos Kenteris, missed a drug test. Later that night, they said they were hurt in a motorcycle accident and went to the hospital.

An official investigation in Greece looked into their accident. It was decided that the accident had been made up. Because of this, Thanou and Kenteris decided to leave the Olympic Games on August 18, 2004. They said they were doing this "in the interests of the country."

This missed test was their third time breaking rules that summer. As a result, the international athletics group (IAAF) temporarily stopped them from competing. After a long legal process, in June 2006, the athletes reached an agreement with the IAAF. They accepted that they had missed three drug tests between July and August 2004. This meant they could compete again starting in December 2006.

Returning to Competition

When Ekaterini Thanou returned to international competitions at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England, some people in the crowd booed her. She finished sixth in the 60 metres final.

After it was revealed that Marion Jones had used banned substances, Thanou was considered for the gold medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics. However, because of Thanou's own past issues, the International Olympic Committee decided not to give her the gold medal. Jones's medal was taken away, but it was not given to anyone else. Thanou remained a silver medallist.

Thanou was chosen by the Greek Olympic Committee to compete at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. However, on August 9, 2008, the Olympic Committee decided to stop her from competing. They used a rule that allows them to ban athletes who might bring the Games into disrepute. Thanou felt pressured to withdraw from the Beijing Olympics. Even though she had qualified, she was not allowed to take part.

Court Cases and Decisions

In 2009, Thanou faced a court case for making false statements to the police. This was related to avoiding a drug test before the 2004 Athens Olympics. In May 2011, a judge said that the "motor accident at the Olympic Games in reality had never taken place." Thanou and Kenteris were found guilty and received suspended sentences.

However, in September 2011, a Greek appeals court cleared them. This means they were found not guilty of faking the motorcycle crash after missing the drug test.

Personal Best Records

Ekaterini Thanou achieved some impressive personal best times in her career:

See also

In Spanish: Ekatherini Thanou para niños