ALL of Marion Jones' results dating back to September 2000, including her Olympic and world championship titles, were annulled yesterday after she admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Track and field's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations, also ordered her to return prize money from that period, while recommending Jones' relay team-mates be disqualified and lose their medals from the 2000 Sydney O
lympics.
The IAAF council also upheld the two-year ban imposed on Jones by US officials. She retired last month after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators in 2003. Jones admitted she had taken the designer steroid "clear" from September 2000 to July 2001. Jones won gold medals in the 100 metres, 200m and 4x400m relay in Sydney, as well as bronzes in the 4x100m relay and long jump.
Jones has returned her five Olympic medals and agreed to forfeit all results dating back to 1 September, 2000. But it remains up to the IAAF and International Olympic Committee to change the record books and revise the medals.
The IAAF said Jones was disqualified from all competitions since September 1, 2000, with all results erased, including the relay events. The IAAF said Jones must return all awards - medals and money - from that period.
IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said Jones owes an estimated £340,000 in prize money.
Athletes who are eventually upgraded stand to receive a share of Jones' prize money, although it is uncertain whether they will ever get the money as Jones is reportedly in financial hardship.
Even though Jones has retired, she is officially suspended until 7 October, 2009. Jones would have to give the IAAF 12 months' notice if she wants to return to competition after the ban, Davies said.
The IAAF did not decide whether Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou should be upgraded to the Olympic gold in the 100m. That decision will be left to the IOC, who has authority over Olympic medals.
"We recommend that you (the) IOC take the final decision," IAAF general secretary Pierre Weiss said.
Thanou and fellow Greek runner Kostas Kenteris failed to show up for drug tests on the eve of the 2004 Athens Games, claiming they were injured in a motorcycle accident and eventually pulled out. They were later banned for two years.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has said there will be no automatic upgrade, and only "clean" athletes will be moved up in the medals. The IOC, which holds an executive board meeting next month, is considering whether to leave the 100m winner's place vacant.
IAAF president Lamine Diack, who has branded Jones "one of the biggest frauds in sporting history", was at the Monte Carlo meeting, but did not comment.
Pauline Davis-Thompson of the Bahamas was the silver medallist behind Jones in the 200 metres, while Tatiana Kotova of Russia was fourth in the long jump. They could now be awarded gold and bronze by the IOC.
"The IAAF further recommends to the IOC Executive Board to disqualify Ms Jones and the USA women's 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams from the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and to insist on the return of the medals and diplomas," the IAAF said.
The IAAF also disqualified Jones from her results at the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, where she won gold in the 200m and silver in the 100m.
Debbie Ferguson of the Bahamas moves up to gold in the 200, Latasha Jenkins of the US to silver and Cydonie Mothersill of the Cayman Islands to bronze.
In the 100 metres, won by Zhanna Block of Ukraine, Thanou would move from bronze to silver, and Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas from fourth to bronze.
"There is awareness of the situation for sure," said Davies. "But there is also the fact there is no reason we have at the moment why she [Thanou] shouldn't have the medal."
The full article contains 660 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
