Charges laid in Greek weightlifting doping scandal

The Beijing Olympics likely won't include Greek weightlifters, given the results of an investigation into a doping scandal.

A Greek prosecutor filed misdemeanour charges against 25 people Tuesday after 11 of the team's 14 weightlifters tested positive for a banned substance during a spot doping check in March.

Nine misdemeanour charges were laid against those involved, including the 11 athletes and their coaching and medical team.

Former head coach Christos Iakovou faces five charges, the most serious of which is administering a banned substance to the athletes. If convicted of all counts, he could face a maximum of 10 years in prison.

Iakovou has insisted he did not knowingly give the team banned substances, and has blamed a faulty batch of diet supplements from China.

Greece has won 12 Olympic medals under the 60-year-old's watch, including five gold since the 1992 Barcelona Games.

A pharmacist in Athens and a man who allegedly imported the supplement from China have also been charged in the case.