Greece's champion walker has been thrown off her country's squad for the Sydney Games after failing a drugs test, the head of Greece's Olympic delegation Yannis Papadoyannis announced yesterday. Alexandra Tzioutis returned positive controls for anabolic steroids on two separate occasions - on July 27th and again last Thursday.

Tzioutis looks set to be joined on the Sydney sidelines by Gioris Heimonetos, selected to represent Greece in cycling.

Heimonetos has already failed one test, if the second goes against him today he will join Tzioutis in watching the Games from home, Papadoyannis confirmed at a press conference.