Greek weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis has been charged with intentionally taking performance-enhancing drugs at the Athens Olympics by Greek prosecutors, a judicial source said on Monday.
Sampanis, who won a bronze medal in the 62kg category only to lose it a few days later after testing positive for high testosterone levels, has declared his innocence, saying a post-competition drink he consumed before giving a drugs sample was spiked.
"The prosecutor charged Sampanis with the misdemeanour of illegally attempting to enhance his in-competition performance by taking a banned substance," the source told Reuters.
Sampanis, who won silver in the 1996 and 2000 Games, was the first Greek athlete to win a medal at the Athens Olympics and the first to have it taken away.
He is the third Greek athlete to face charges relating to doping offences at the Games in August. Sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou stand accused of avoiding an eve-of-Games doping test.
None of the accused is expected to spend any time behind bars as prison sentences for such misdemeanours are usually either suspended or converted to a fine.
