IOC wins first battle over Jones relay medals

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) yesterday won the first legal battle in favour of its decision to strip the Sydney 2000 Olympics relay medals from team-mates of disgraced sprinter Marion Jones.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the relay members' motion to dismiss the case based on a three-year time limit, ruling the IOC's decision to take back the medals was not restricted by any time limit.

American Jones was stripped in 2007 of her 100, 200 and 4x400 gold and long jump and 4x100 bronze Sydney Olympic medals for using banned drugs. She served a jail sentence for lying to federal prosecutors about her steroid use.

Her team-mates Andrea Anderson, LaTasha Colander Clark, Jearl Miles-Clark, Torri Edwards, Chryste Gaines, Monique Hennagan and Passion Richardson were also stripped of their medals and appealed against the decision.

"The CAS Panel has considered that the three-year rule did not prevent the IOC from withdrawing medals," CAS said in a statement.

It did not give a date for a full decision but said it would call a hearing with the parties before announcing it.