US relay runners win Olympic medal appeal

American sprinters who were stripped of their 2000 Olympics relay medals because teammate Marion Jones was on dope won an appeal today to have them restored.



The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in favor of the women, who appealed the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to disqualify them from the Sydney Games.



The court says the IOC and International Association of Athletics Federations rules in 2000 did not allow entire teams to be disqualified because of doping by one athlete.



The IOC said the ruling was disappointing and especially unfortunate for the athletes of the other teams who competed according to the rules.



In Sydney, Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan, LaTasha Colander Clark and Andrea Anderson were part of the squad that won gold in the 4 by 400 relay. Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry and Passion Richardson were on the 4 by 100 bronze medal squad.



All but Perry joined the appeal.



In 2007, Jones admitted she was on dope in Sydney and also lost her individual gold medals in the 100 and 200 metres and bronze in the long jump.



The IOC has now lost two Court of Arbitration for Sport rulings within five weeks involving Olympic medals stripped in doping cases.