Rio 2016: Greek athlete expelled from Olympic Games after failing drugs test

Greece originally had 94 athletes across 19 sports in Rio for the Games

(Getty)

A Greek athlete has been expelled from the Olympic Games in Rio after failing a drugs test.

The athlete, who is yet to be named, tested positive during an A sample test for a banned substance in early July.

A statement from the HOC read: "The administrative board of the Greek Olympic team in Rio announces that a first positive sample from a member of the Olympic team was found during a doping control which took place at the beginning of July in Athens.

"The HOC had requested the control of all Greek athletes who were going to participate in the Rio Olympic Games.

"The aforementioned member of the Greek Olympic team has left the Olympic Village."

Greece originally had 94 athletes across 19 sports in Rio for the Games. The news of the failed test comes just hours before the opening ceremony to an Olympics which has so far been overshadowed by doping.

The International Olympic Committee, and in particular its president Thomas Bach, came in for fierce criticism for its decision not to impose a blanket ban on Russia following the staggering revelations of state-sponsored doping, instead leaving the decision on whether Russian athletes would compete - and which ones could do so - up to individual federations.

The IOC said on Thursday night that 271 Russians would take part in Rio.

Additional reporting by PA.