Jones faces losing world medals, other action in doping scandal
International Olympic and track and field officials are prepared to wipe her name officially from the record books, strip her of her world championship medals, pursue her for prize money and appearance fees and possibly ban her from future Olympics in any capacity.
The IOC, which opened an investigation into Jones after she was linked to the BALCO steroids scandal in 2004, can act now that she has confessed and surrendered the medals.
''We now need to have the official process of disqualification and maybe other measures like non-eligibility for future games and so on,'' IOC vice president Thomas Bach, a German lawyer who leads the IOC's three-man disciplinary commission on the Jones case, told The Associated Press.
After long denying she ever had used performance-enhancing drugs, Jones admitted Friday that she'd taken the designer steroid ''the clear'' from September 2000 to July 2001. On Monday, she returned her five Sydney Olympic medals.
Bach's panel will make recommendations to the ruling IOC executive board, which next meets in December in Lausanne, Switzerland. IOC president Jacques Rogge could speed up the process by ordering a decision by postal vote before then.
Bach said the IOC also will consider whether Jones ''should be eligible to apply for any type of accreditation for Beijing or beyond.'' That could mean that she would be banned from attending future Olympics -- possibly for life -- as a coach, media representative or any other official capacity.
Jones won golds in the 100 meters, 200 meters and the 1,600 relay in Sydney, as well as bronzes in the 400 relay and long jump.
The IOC and IAAF also must consider whether Jones' relay teammates should lose their Sydney medals.
USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth said Monday the relays were tainted because of Jones' presence and all the medals should be returned.
''The relay will be decided according to IAAF rules,'' Bach said.
Medals aren't the only prizes that will be returned.
IAAF regulations also allow for athletes busted for doping to be asked to pay back prize money and appearance fees.
Jones would have earned millions in prizes, bonuses and fees from meets all over the world, including a share of the $1 million Golden League jackpot in 2001 and 2002.