November 16, 2007	Friday	Ziqa’ad 05, 1428

MADRID, Nov 15: The IOC’s disciplinary commission is ready to propose how the medals of US sprinter Marion Jones will be awarded once the IAAF ratifies her disqualification, commission chairman Thomas Bach said on Thursday.

Jones, who won five medals including three golds at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, confessed to having taken performance-enhancing drugs, after years of speculation and could face jail for lying to federal investigators.

The International Olympic Committee has ruled out any automatic upgrading of athletes saying each one will be checked prior to being awarded a medal.

Samples of medal winners are kept for a period of eight years after the Games.

“The procedure is before the disciplinary commission and we are ready to propose a decision to the (IOC) executive board if the IAAF is coming to a conclusion in their meeting on Nov 23,” Bach, also an IOC vice-president, told reporters on the sidelines of a doping conference.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is responsible for ratifying and changing athletics results and must first officially approve the alterations before the IOC can rule on the medals.

“We are then prepared to make a recommendation between Nov 23 and early December,” Bach said.

The next IOC Executive Board meeting is set for Dec 10-12 when a decision is widely expected.

Jones, the first woman to claim five medals at a single Olympics, won gold in the 100, 200 and 4x400 metres relay in Sydney. She took bronze medals in the long jump and 4x100 metres relay.

Among those in the running for a gold medal is Greek sprinter Katerina Thanou who finished second to Jones in the 100 metres. Thanou was herself banned for two years after she failed to appear for a drugs test at the Athens 2004 Olympics.—Reuters