The host's sprinter hopes Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou withdrew Wednesday from the Athens Games.

The IOC commission has been looking into why the two athletes missed a drug test in the Olympic village last Thursday. A few hours later, they were taken to a hospital with cuts and bruises after they said their motorcycle skidded on a road.

Greece's reigning 200-meter Olympic and World Champion Kostas Kenteris told reporters after meeting the Commission he was innocent. Being aware of the great responsibility of his country as the games' host, he declared quitting this year's Olympics.

He also said he cut ties with his coach, Christos Tsekos, who had been suspended by the Greek Olympic Committee, along with the two runners.

Kenteris is the country's most celebrated athlete and was Greece's best hope for gold in track at the Athens Games. He was considered a leading candidate to light the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony, but a Greek windsurfing champion got the honor instead.

Meanwhile, Ekaterini Tanou who holds the Sydney 2000 Olympic silver at 100m, asked pardon from her people and wished luck to compatriot athletes.

Under IAAF rules, athletes can be suspended for two years if they miss three drug tests in 18 months and the Greek runners have been under investigation by the IOC for two no-shows since July 23.

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