Greek walker tests positive for EPO

ATHENS: Greece's 2004 Athens Olympic 20km walk champion Athanasia Tsoumeleka has tested positive for the bloodbooster erythropoietin (EPO), the state broadcaster Net reported on Saturday.

The broadcaster said she had tested positive on Aug 6 last year, just two days before the opening ceremony for the Beijing Games.

In a statement, the 27-year-old Tsoumeleka, who finished ninth in last year's Beijing Games, denied taking the drug but said she had decided to retire from the sport.