IOC strips 4 medals from 2004 Athens Olympics

LAUSANNE - The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stripped medals from four athletes caught doping at the 2004 Athens Olympics, including one gold medalist and postponed a decision to revoke Lance Armstrong's bronze from the 2000 Sydney Games.

The IOC on Wednesday disqualified four athletes whose Athens doping samples were retested earlier this year and came back positive, including shot put gold medalist Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine.

The others are hammer throw silver medalist Ivan Tskikhan of Belarus and two bronze medalists, women's shot putter Svetlana Krivelyova of Russia and discus thrower Irina Yatchenko of Belarus.

The case of a fifth bronze medalist, weightlifter Oleg Perepechenov of Russia, remains pending.