ATHENS (AFP) - An Athens court slapped a 3,000-euro (3,700-dollar) fine on the Irish-born former priest who disrupted the Olympic men's marathon by pushing the race leader into the crowd.
The flagrant crimes court convening in Athens also barred Cornelius Horan, 57, from attending any sport events in Greece for three months.
A 12-month prison sentence against Horan was suspended for three years. He paid the fine and was released.
Horan told the court he wanted to announce the Second Coming of Jesus and did not intend to obstruct the marathon's Brazilian race leader Vanderlei de Lima.
The Irishman, who now lives in London and has staged a number of demonstrations at high profile events, apologised for the incident and said he would not repeat it again.
Horan was wearing a red kilt and green waistcoat when he bundled into de Lima. He carried a placard saying "The Grand Prix Priest. Israel Fulfilment of Prophecy Says The Bible. The Second Coming is Near".
De Lima managed to rejoin the race but was passed two miles later by Italian Stefano Baldini and finished in third place. He was later awarded a fair-play medal by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge in front of hundreds of millions of television spectators during the Games' closing ceremony.
Describing himself as "a Catholic priest on sabbatical", Horan was jailed for two months last year for a dangerous protest at the British Grand Prix when he ran out on the track and forced Formula One drivers to swerve to avoid him.
Horan's Athens stunt was widely condemned in Ireland. The Irish Times said Horan caused one of "the biggest scandals" in Olympic history.
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