USOC appeals to save relay golds

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against a recommendation to remove all the gold medals from the 2000 Sydney Olympics 4x400 metres squad.

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) asked the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this year to strip the Americans of their medals after CAS ruled that squad member Jerome Young should not have been allowed to compete after a positive dope test the previous year.

In a statement on its website CAS said the appeal had been lodged by the USOC and the other five relay squad members, who include five times Olympic champion Michael Johnson.

"The appellants request that CAS order the IOC and the IAAF to desist in their attempt to change the results, take away the Olympic championship earned by the athletes, or strip the gold medals that the athletes earned in the 4x400m men's relay event in the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney," the statement said.