KEY POINTS:
The once-glittering career of Marion Jones shines no longer after her Olympic and world championship titles won in the past seven years were stripped from the record books.
All of her results dating to September 2000 were annulled by the IAAF yesterday because of her admission to taking
the designer steroid "the clear" from September 2000 to July 2001.
Track and field's governing body also told her to return any prize-money from that period.
But it's her team-mates who could also end up paying a price for her doping, having helped her win Olympic medals.
Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan, Tasha Colander-Richardson and Andrea Anderson were part of the gold medal-winning 4x400m relay team in Sydney.
Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry and Passion Richardson were on the 4x100m relay team that also came first.
The International Association of Athletics Federation recommended they be disqualified and lose their medals.
"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.
It's now up to the International Olympic Committee to decide whether Jamaica receives gold in the 4x400m relay and France bronze in the 4x100m.
If so, eight other American athletes will be returning their Olympic medals, something Jones has already done.
The IAAF upheld the two-year ban imposed on Jones by US officials.
Jones retired last month after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators in 2003.
Jones won gold medals in the 100m, 200m and the 4x400m relay in Sydney, as well as bronze medals in the 4x100m relay and long jump.
While she agreed to forfeit all results from September 1, 2000, it's still up to the IAAF and IOC to change the record books and revise the medals.
The IAAF said Jones was disqualified from all competitions since September 1, 2000 and added that the 31-year-old must return all awards, medals and money from that period - an estimated US$700,000 ($950,000).
She can't compete again unless she pays it back.
Athletes who are eventually upgraded stand to receive a share of Jones' prize money, IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said.
However, it's uncertain whether they will ever get the money as Jones is believed to be broke.
Jones' doping admission - and the return of five Olympic medals - may have prevented the IAAF from seeking a longer ban. Even though Jones has retired, she is officially suspended until October 7, 2009.
Jones would have to give 12 months' notice if she wants to return to competition after the ban, Davies said.
The IAAF did not take a position on whether Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou should be upgraded to the Olympic gold medal in the 100m.
That will be up to the IOC, which has authority over Olympic medals.
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 that 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.
At the 2000 Games, Pauline Davis-Thompson of the Bahamas was the silver medallist behind Jones in the 200m, while Tatiana Kotova of Russia was fourth in the long jump. They could now be awarded gold and bronze by the IOC.
- AP
