Gaines to appeal loss of Olympic medals

By KEN SUGIURA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/11/08

Former Olympian and Georgia Tech athletic staff member Chryste Gaines wants to appeal the International Olympic Committee's decision to strip her and seven others of Olympic relay medals won with admitted steroid user Marion Jones.

"I think the decision is wrong and we are going to appeal to [the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport] if we can find the money to pay for the attorney fees," Gaines said in a statement Friday.

The IOC ruled Thursday that Jones' admission last fall that she was doping at the time of the 2000 Olympics tainted her two relays, the 400- and 1,600-meter relays that won bronze and gold, respectively.

Gaines, an academic advisor in the Tech athletics department, was a member of the 4x100 relay.