ATHENS, Aug. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Greek Olympic officials on Monday said they will appeal weightlifter Leonidas Sampanis' high-profiledoping violation to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) highest arbitration body, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS),which is currently fielding three tribunals on the sidelines of the ongoing Athens Games.

    The IOC's executive board on Sunday stripped Sampanis of his bronze medal in the 62kg category after extremely high levels of testosterone were detected -- in two separate tests -- in his sample.

    In justifying the decision, Yiannis Papadoyiannakis, head of the host-country's Olympic delegation, said the two-time silver Olympic medallist has repeatedly tested negative prior to the Games, whereas a fairer procedure should be to monitor his testosterone levels over a three-month period.

    "The issue is scientific, continued study is necessary," Papadoyiannakis said, adding however, that the IOC board took the only possible decision - in punishing Sampanis -- it could with two positive samples at its disposal.

    He stressed that Greek Olympic and weightlifting federation officials will also ask the IOC and WADA for the exact testosterone levels detected in Sampanis' sample, saying only a "more than 12" result was announced on both occasions.

    "We want to see what the difference was, and whether it was justified," he said.

    Papadoyiannakis also denied reports that Sampanis had initiallyrefused to turn over his bronze medal and diploma.

    Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos also asserted that Sampanis "will have the opportunity to take recourse to the appropriate bodies" to prove his innocence.

    He reiterated the government's intention of taking all the necessary steps so that such "incidents that harm the sport idealsand the country's image" would not be repeated in the future.

    He stressed that any athletes proven to have used prohibited substances for performance enhancement would be stripped of all honors and benefits bestowed upon them by the State.

    "The State must protect itself," he said. Enditem