London 2012 Olympics: 2 Olympians Forced to Withdraw Due to Drug Policy

Greek high-jumper Dimitrios Chondrokoukis and Hungarian discus thrower Zoltan Kovago have both been forced to withdraw from the 2012 Olympic Games due to anti-doping violations, according to The Guardian.

Based on the report, Chondrokoukis' test came back positive for a banned substance, and Kovago decided against taking the test altogether. As a result, neither athlete will be able to compete in their respective events in London.

Both men were strong contenders to make it on the podium. That makes the disappointment, both personally and for their countries, even greater.

Chondrokoukis was coming off a gold-medal performance at the World Indoor Championships in March, making him a legitimate threat to earn an Olympic medal in an event with no clear favorite. His career best in an outdoor setting is 2.32 meters.

The withdraw due to anti-doping rules is an ironic twist of fate for Kovago. He was awarded the silver medal in Athens eight years ago after fellow Hungarian Robert Fazekas was taken out of the competition due to a doping offense.

Kovago went through a slump after that performance, earning only two medals from that point through the end of 2011. He got back on track at the 2012 European Championships, however, earning third place with one of the best throws of his career.

The absence of Chondrokoukis and Kovago will provide an opportunity for another athlete to earn a medal. There is no shortage of hopefuls who now have a better chance of making that dream reality.

It's good to see the policies in place are working to ensure that all athletes taking part in the Games are on a level playing field to start.