KROHA

during the Olympic year to
be eligible.
"I'm really just proud to

know that justice

prevailed," said Dominique

Dawes, a member of the

U.S. squad in 2000. "My

teammates are very well-
deserving of the bronze
medal, and I'm sure each
and every one of us will be
thrilled. We will cherish it."
Dong's results from Sydney
were nullified in February
by the International
Gymnastics Federation.
Because her scores
contributed to China
winning the team bronze,
the FIG recommended that
the IOC take the medal
back.
As expected, the IOC
executive board upheld the
request and formally
stripped the medal on the
first day of a two-day
meeting in Dubai.
The U.S. women, who had
been fourth, move up to the
bronze.
The IOC said Dong also
was stripped of her sixth-
place result in the individual
floor exercises and
seventh place in the vault.
Calls to the Chinese
Gymnastics Association
and the media officers for
the Chinese gymnastics
team went unanswered
Wednesday. Dong now
lives in New Zealand with
her husband.
The IOC ordered China's
national Olympic committee