IOC lauds Johnson

BEIJING: International Olympic Committee lauded Michael Johnson for voluntarily returning his gold medal in the 4X400m relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics following the admission of doping by US teammate Antonio Pettigrew. The IOC formally stripped the entire team of their medals on Saturday because Pettigrew testified during the trial of his former coach in May that he was using performance-enhancing drugs at the time of the Sydney Games.