The Hindu : Sport / Athletics : Jones hands over Olympic medals

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Wednesday, Oct 10, 2007
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Jones hands over Olympic medals

LOS ANGELES: Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones has been stripped of her gold medals from the 2000 Olympics and asked to repay more than $100,000 in prize and bonus money, said the United States Olympic Committee.

Jones, who admitted in a U.S. court last week to using performance-enhancing drugs, has returned the three gold and two bronze medals she won in Sydney, USOC chief executive Jim Scherr said on Monday.

“She relinquished this afternoon the medals that were won unfairly at the Sydney Games,” Scherr said.

“She took the right step by quickly returning the medals.”

“They are in the possession of the USOC and will be returned to the IOC so they can be awarded to the appropriate winners at the Olympic Games.”

Scherr said Jones would also have to forfeit all her competition results since September 1, 2000.

Jones was also slapped with a two-year competition ban by the United States Anti-doping Agency (USADA) on Monday but she had already announced her retirement on Friday.

Jones, who won the 100 metres and 200 metres in addition to taking third in the long jump, was part of the winning 4x400 team and the third-place 4x100 team in Australia.

Uebberroth said they are also asking Jones’ relay teammates to turn over their medals from 2000 as well.

“Basically it is unfortunate. But your results involved cheating so you are not entitled to the medals,” Uebberroth said.

Some of the other American athletes who are being asked to return their relay medals include, Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry, Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan and LaTasha Colander-Richardson. Scherr said Jones handed the medals over to USOC officials Monday in the Austin, Texas offices of her lawyer.

Jones’ former partner Tim Montgomery was banished and his world 100 metres record run erased based on evidence collected in the BALCO probe. — Agencies

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