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For Greece, a country of 11 million people and two Olympic celebrities--Kenteris and Thanou--the absurdity and timing of the incident was a cruel blow. It's been a tough battle for Greeks to shake their reputation as the reprobate relatives of the global family, and just when the world seemed convinced that the country was competent, Kenteris and Thanou ensnared themselves in what may be history's most elaborate lost-homework story. Kenteris and Thanou have missed tests before (once they were in another country when the people with cups came calling) and suspicion has followed the Greek track team since 2002, when it had nine of the world's 14 drug-test no-shows. The Swedes, curiously, have threatened a walkout if the duo is allowed to compete in their events. But it seemed likely that the I.O.C., which has shown no mercy in doping cases, would recommend the boot.
Guilty or innocent, the potential loss of the two biggest Greek stars sent various Olympic officials into a tragicomic spiral of self-pity. "We've been screwed," said a senior Athens organizer. "All the fun has been spoiled. All our efforts for a success have been destroyed."
Not really, of course. To the rest of the world, Thanou and Kenteris are just two more hard-to-pronounce names, and if it turns out Greece does have a couple of high-profile dopers on its squad--well, who doesn't? If nothing else, the scandal added some suspense to the opening ceremony, since word had already leaked out that Thanou was going to be one of the final torch bearers and Kenteris was going to light the Olympic flame. Instead, Nikos Kaklamanakis, a gold medalist in sailing, got the honor. He touched his small flame to a giant, deus ex machina contraption bent over the stadium as if it was getting a light for a cigarette. Very European, that.
This unusual duet was preceded by the familiar pageant of the parade of nations, in which swaggering jocks are transformed into Model U.N. delegates thanks to enduring fashion stereotypes. The Bermudans wore their shorts; Tonga had grass skirts; the Japanese showed up in neon Hello Kitty-ish floral patterns; and the Americans, cautioned against excessive displays of national pride, strolled into the stadium in what appeared to be pajamas and--sacre bleu!--berets.
A lot has changed since the 2002 opening ceremony in Salt Lake City, when many countries carried the Stars and Stripes along with their own flags. There was none of that this time, though the negative reaction U.S. athletes were prepared to expect hasn't surfaced either. "Coming in here, I was conscious of the possible dirty looks," said U.S. hammer thrower Jackie Jeschelnig in the Olympic Village, "but honestly, I haven't seen them." In fact, the U.S. delegation received one of the loudest roars of the evening, U.S. politics having been given the night off. But Iraq--whose soccer team shocked global powerhouse Portugal the night before the ceremony by beating them 4-2 in the Olympic preliminaries--and Afghanistan were clearly the stadium's favorite guests.