American runner Crystal Cox was stripped of her gold medal from the 4x400-meter relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics on Saturday after admitting to doping, while the IOC put off a decision on whether to disqualify the U.S. team.
Cox admitted in 2010 to using anabolic steroids and accepted a four-year suspension and disqualification of her results from 2001 to 2004.The International Olympic Committee executive board formally disqualified Cox and took away her gold medal. However, the IOC took no action on the U.S. team victory, which still stands -- for now.The Olympic body said it is up to the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations whether to disqualify the U.S. from the gold.In a separate case dating back 12 years, the IOC on Saturday reallocated the medals removed from the U.S. men's 4x400 relay team from the Sydney Games because of the admitted doping by the late Antonio Pettigrew.Cox ran in the preliminaries of the Athens relay. Sanya Richards, Dee Dee Trotter, Monique Henderson and Monique Hennegan ran in the final.Briefly Branding: IOC President Jacques Rogge downplayed fears that wearing the wrong kind of logo on a T-shirt could cause a ticket holder to be denied entry to an Olympic venue. Rogge said that no action would be taken against individuals if they wear clothing, for example, made by a competitor of official London Games sponsors. U.S. 109, Croatia 55: Sylvia Fowles scored 15 points to lead the balanced U.S. to an easy victory over Croatia in an exhibition game in Istanbul. Sue Bird, who left the team after the death of her stepfather, returned and scored eight points. Brazil: Iziane Castro Marques was removed from Brazil's Olympic women's basketball team after violating a team rule. Marques, who helped the Atlanta Dream reach the WNBA finals the past two seasons, had 21 points in Brazil's 99-67 loss to the U.S. on Monday. Israel: Jacques Rogge said there will be no minute's silence for the Israeli victims of the 1972 Munich massacre at the opening ceremony of the London Olympics. Rogge rejected the latest calls for a special observance to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches by Palestinian gunmen at the Munich Games. Marathon: The IOC cleared a marathon runner born in what is now South Sudan to compete under the Olympic flag at the London Olympics. The IOC executive board agreed to allow U.S.-based Guor Marial, a former refugee, to take part as an independent athlete. Tickets: The IOC will not take disciplinary action before the London Olympics against officials accused of illegal ticket sales. The IOC opened an ethics investigation last month after Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported that national Olympic committee officials and ticket agents in several countries were willing to offer tickets on the black market.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
