Athletics News round-up: Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou and the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) have struck a surprise deal over the infamous doping case stemming from the 2004 Athens Olympics.

"A deal was made that puts an end to a complex case," their lawyer Gregory Ioannidis said yesterday. "The terms of the agreement are satisfactory for both sides. The IAAF were very helpful towards the athletes and they will support their effort to return to competition."

The IAAF yesterday withdrew an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and said the athletes had accepted they violated anti-doping rules by missing three drugs tests before the 2004 Athens Olympic Gmes.

In a statement on its website IAAF said the pair would be eligible to compete again on December 22nd this year.

The IAAF provisionally suspended the two Greeks on December 22nd 2004, pending a Greek disciplinary investigation. But once they were cleared by the domestic probe in March last year, the IAAF lodged an appeal with CAS.

The sprinters' coach was banned for four years.

Meanwhile, Britain's Dwain Chambers has had another raft of performances, including his European 100 metres title, annulled by the IAAF.

The 28-year-old sprinter admitted last November that he had been using the designer steroid THG 18 months before failing an out-of-competition drugs test on August 1st, 2003.