ATHENS, 30 August 2004 — The 28th Summer Olympics came to a close yesterday with International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge describing them ‘as the unforgettable, dream Games’.

A lavish closing ceremony brought down the curtain on the showpiece but the specter of doping, which had dogged the event from the very start when Greek national hero Kostadinos Kenteris skipped a drugs test haunted it to the end.

Olympic hammer champion Adrian Annus of Hungary was stripped of his gold medal yesterday for refusing a doping test while Colombian bronze-medal winning cyclist Maria Luisa Calle Williams tested positive for a banned stimulant and is to be stripped of her medal.

Annus’ compatriot Robert Fazekas was stripped of his discus gold medal for refusing to provide a complete urine sample after last Monday’s final and Russian shot putter Irina Korzhanenko also lost her gold after testing positive for a banned steroid.

Despite the problems, Rogge insisted that honest competitors are winning the battle.

“These were the Games where it became increasingly difficult to cheat and where clean athletes were better protected,” Rogge told the thousands gathered in the Olympic Stadium where the closing ceremony was staged.

“These were the Games where you, the athletes, have touched our hearts by your performances, your joys and your tears.

“These were unforgettable, dream Games.”

Rogge vowed to step up the fight against doping and said 22 cheats were caught at Athens due to tougher testing. But he said the scandals should not detract from the superb work of the Games’ organizers.

“They really did a fantastic job. I am very, very happy about the Games,” Rogge told a news conference.

The athletes’ village was the best ever, security at the first Games since the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States was flawless, television ratings were up and sports federations were delighted with the organization, he said.

Rogge’s comments were another boost for organizers who had had to fight widespread international concern before the Games about security and whether venues would be ready on time.

Rogge also praised the Greek organizers who had been ruthlessly criticized in the build-up to the Games over spiraling costs and construction delays.

“You have won,” said Rogge.

“You have won by brilliantly meeting the tough challenge of holding the Games.

“A warm thank you to Gianni Angelopoulos-Daskalaki (president of the organizing committee ATHOC) who has led the enthusiastic and extremely competent ATHOC team with great vision and charisma.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported the Games.”

Rogge also pleaded with competitors to continue their fight against doping.

“Athletes, you are role models. When you get home, promote the message of the Games - promote respect for others and, above all, promote clean sport. Give back to sport what sport has given to you.”

Rogge ended his speech with the traditional closing remarks.

“I declare the Games of the XXVII Olympiad closed and I call upon the youth of the world to assemble four years from now in Beijing to celebrate with us there the Games of the XXIX Olympiad.

“Thank you Athens, thank you Greece.”

The Olympic flag was then passed on to Wang Qishan, the mayor of Beijing.

Meanwhile, the Olympic flame was doused in Athens’ Olympic stadium during the closing ceremony of the Aug. 13-29 Games. It will be lit again in 2008 in ancient Olympia for the torch relay ahead of the Beijing Olympics and eventually ignite the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the Olympics set for Aug. 8-24, 2008.

The United States finished on top of the medals table with 35 golds and 103 in total with China just behind with 32 golds out of 63, as its efforts to ensure an excellent host nation performance in Beijing in 2008 start to bear fruit.

On the final day in Athens, Cuba claimed three boxing titles, with past master Mario Kindelan stopping the amazing run of British teenager Amir Khan by outpointing him in the lightweight final.

Blows were also traded at the wrestling venue, but not just between fighters.

A brawl involving spectators, officials, police and competitors erupted after a close bout between a Russian world champion and a wrestler from Belarus.

One of the fiercest controversies of the Games raged on as South Korea appealed to sport’s supreme legal body try to secure the Olympic men’s gymnastics all-round gold medal for its athlete Yang Tae-young.

The governing body of world gymnastics has said American Paul Hamm was awarded the gold due to a scoring error and Yang is the rightful champion. But it has said it has no mechanism to overturn the original results.

After an opening ceremony drawing on Greek mythology which received rave reviews around the world, Athens pulled off another spectacular show to end the Games.