ATHENS, Greece - Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou were hospitalized Friday with injuries from a motorcycle wreck, forcing the IOC to postpone a hearing on whether they intentionally dodged drug testers.

The accident and accusations involving two of the nation's biggest sports stars stunned Greeks on the day of the Athens Games' opening ceremony and left organizers red-faced.

Kenteris had been considered a favorite to light the cauldron before a worldwide audience. The torchbearer traditionally remains a mystery until the last moment.

Kenteris, the defending Olympic 200-meter champion, and Thanou, the 100-meter silver medalist in Sydney, were not seriously hurt in the accident, police said. They were expected to stay in the hospital for two more days, leaving them unable to attend their hearing scheduled for Friday.

IOC officials granted a request to postpone the hearing until Monday, when the athletes might be available to attend.

"The games are much stronger than individuals," IOC president Jacques Rogge said at a news conference. "We have had widely publicized doping cases before, they have not damaged the image of the games."

Rogge said the IOC's medical director, Patrick Schamasch, had gone to the hospital, near the main stadium complex, to give the sprinters a written summons to attend the disciplinary hearing.