Olympic Games 2004 in Athens,Greece

Initial investigations have revealed that Greek sprinters Kostadinos Kenteris and Ekaterini Thanou faked a motorcycle accident after missing a drugs test, legal sources said.

Kenteris, the Sydney 2000 Olympics 200 metres champion and Thanou, a women's 100m silver medallist in those Games, were said to have suffered minor injuries in the mysterious accident.

It had reportedly occurred late last Thursday after they had failed to appear for a doping test at the Olympic village.

The probe by a Greek prosecutor had shown that either the accident did not take place at all, or that the athletes deliberately crashed the bike in order to give themselves injuries, the source, a high-ranking official, added.

The statements given by the athletes in which they said they were taken to hospital by a passing motorist who has not been traced were also judged not to be credible.

The sprinters' lawyer had claimed the couple fell from the motorbike Kenteris was steering as they were rushing back to the athletes' village from their coach's house in Athens, after discovering they were needed for the doping test.

But no accident was reported to police and no ambulance was called to the scene.

A police investigation was launched because of contradictions in the pair's statements.

The athletes withdrew from the Games on Wednesday after appearing before an International Olympic Committee disciplinary hearing.

two gold medals ( Equestrian single and team)

A fire broke out near the Olympic mountain bike track on Mount Parnitha northwest of Athens on Friday, but officials said it posed no danger. Twenty-five fire engines and 75 firefighters tackled the blaze. "This is woodland, there is no danger to any Olympic installation," said a fire brigade spokesman.