2000 Sydney Olympics

10 Stories

Ex-Olympic Gold Sprinter Found Dead

Pettigrew lost gold medal after doping scandal

(Newser) - Former world champion sprinter Antonio Pettigrew has been found dead in the backseat of his car in North Carolina. Pettigrew, 42, was part of the American 4x400-meter relay squad that won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, only be be stripped of their medals after Pettigrew confessed to being part...

Marion Jones Signs With WNBA Team

Disgraced Olympic sprinter newest member of Tulsa Shock

(Newser) - Marion Jones, once called the world's fastest woman, was introduced today as the newest member of the WNBA's Tulsa Shock. It's been nearly a decade since she shot to fame with five sprinting medals at the Sydney Olympics, but less than 3 years since she was stripped of them over...

WNBA Next on Marion Jones' To-Do List

Disgraced track star helped North Carolina to '94 title

(Newser) - Marion Jones is taking another shot at professional sports—but this time it’s basketball, a sport she played well enough to earn a scholarship to the University of North Carolina. “I missed competitiveness,” Jones, 34, tells Kevin Blackistone at the Texas gym where she’s been training...

Sydney Olympics Also Featured Fake Performances

In 2000, city's orchestra mimed to backing tape—by ensemble from Melbourne

(Newser) - The world was shocked to learn that Chinese singer Lin Miaoke was really just a pretty lip-syncher, but fakery seems to be par for the Olympic course: the Sydney Symphony has disclosed that its performers mimed to a backing tape during the 2000 opening ceremony. "It's correct that we...

IOC Strips Gold From 2000 US Relay Team

Move follows athlete's admission of doping

(Newser) - The International Olympic Committee today stripped gold medals from the US men's 1,600-meter relay team that competed at the 2000 Olympics, in the aftermath of Antonio Pettigrew's admission that he was doping at the time. The IOC executive board disqualified the entire team, the fourth gold and sixth overall...

Critics Make Sport of Olympic Mascots

'Fuwa' are in the firing line ahead of Beijing Games

(Newser) - The troubled run-up to the Beijing Games hasn't spared the cartoon mascots, the Wall Street Journal reports. China's critics have already created mock characters for the five—like "GenGen Genocide"—and superstitious Chinese fear a link between the "witch dolls" and the disasters the country has suffered...

US Sprinter Giving Back Gold Over Teammate's Doping

Michael Johnson 'betrayed' by Olympic relay-mate Pettigrew's cheating admission

(Newser) - Record-setting US sprinter Michael Johnson will give back one of his Olympic gold medals after Antonio Pettigrew, a teammate in the 1,600-meter relay during the 2000 Sydney Games, admitted to doping. Pettigrew's admission at a trial last month “shocked me like no other drug-related story,” Johnson writes...

Olympic Sprinter Pettigrew Admits Doping

2000 gold medalist 'fesses up in trial against former coach

(Newser) - Former Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew passed all his drug tests during his career—but admitted in court yesterday that he took steroids. The confession came at the trial of his former coach, Trevor Graham, who has pleaded not guilty to charges he lied to federal authorities investigating doping allegations....

Maurice Green Retires From Sprinting

Former world champ and Olympic medalist dogged by injuries

(Newser) - Decorated sprinter Maurice Greene announced his retirement yesterday, ending a career that included two Olympic gold medals and several world titles. "It's a little sad for me, but I've had a great career. Because of my injuries, it's better to call it quits," said Greene. The decision leaves...

IOC Delays Call on Jones' Medals
IOC Delays
Call on
Jones' Medals
Dec 10, 2007 12:11 PM CST

IOC Delays Call on Jones' Medals

Doping cloud shadows disgraced ex-champ, other competitors

(Newser) - The International Olympic Committee decided today to await more info before awarding Marion Jones' medals to other competitors from the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Jones will still be formally stripped of her medals for admitting to doping, but the IOC wants to talk to her relay teammates to determine whether they...

10 Stories