World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chairman Richard Pound says his organisation will appeal the acquittal of Greek sprinters Costas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou on doping charges if the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) does not.
Former Olympic 200 metres champion Kenteris and Thanou were cleared by the Greek athletics federation last Friday of all charges related to missing three doping tests, including one on the eve of last year's Athens Games.
"I am convinced that the IAAF will appeal against the decision and we will support the move," Pound says. "But if they accept the Greek federation's ruling, we will go ourselves before the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport)."
A Greek disciplinary commission ruled the athletes were merely victims of incorrect procedures but banned their former coach Christos Tzekos for four years for his role in the affair.
The IAAF, world athletics' ruling body, suspended the two athletes in December "pending the resolution of their cases".
Kenteris, who had been scheduled to carry Greece's flag in the opening ceremony, and Thanou, a silver medallist at the 2000 Sydney Games, withdrew from the Olympics.
The two athletes still have to face trial on charges brought separately by Greek prosecutors of missing the drugs tests and faking a motorcycle accident to avoid testing at the Athens Games.