Marion Jones' relay teammates hope to cash in on appeal

Marion Jones' American relay teammates are appealing for money to help fight the International Olympic Committee's decision to strip them of their medals, the American media reported Thursday.

Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Passion Richardson, Monique Hennagan, Jearl Miles-Clark, LaTasha Colander-Clark and Andrea Anderson need to raise about 200,000 dollars for their defence, The New York Times reported.

"The cost of fighting the IOC with all of its resources and paying for the legal proceedings before the court in Switzerland is more than our combined resources," said former 4X400 metre gold medal winner Hennagan.

The athletes' appeal must go before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland. Anderson, Colander-Clark, Miles-Clark and Hennagan have been stripped of gold medals while Richardson, Edwards and Gaines have been asked to return bronzes from the 2000 Sydney Games.

IOC spokesman Giselle Davis said they are willing to hear the appeal.

"The rules are clear that the IOC cannot take our medals," Hennagan said.

Gaines was slapped with a two-year ban three years ago after testifying at the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative hearings. She has vehemently denied using preformance-enhancing substances.

Jones' five Sydney medals have already been handed over. The disgraced runner is serving six months in jail for her involvement in a cheque-fraud ruse.