Greek weightlifter vows to keep medal despite positive drug test

Greek Olympic Committee said that the procedure to remove his medal had begun, but had no information that Sampanis has refused to comply with the instruction.

Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis, who was thrown out of the Olympics on Sunday for a failed drugs test, has vowed to hang onto his bronze medal.

HT Image

"I deserve this medal, I won't give it back," Sampanis was quoted by Greek television channel NET.

Greek Olympic Committee officials said that the procedure to remove his medal had begun, but had no information that Sampanis has refused to comply with the instruction.

The 33-year-old Sampanis had won the first medal of the Games for host nation Greece in the 62kg competition but the drug tests revealed double the permitted amount of testosterone in his system.