Jones

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters):

Sydney 2000 triple champion Marion Jones has been included in the U.S. team for this weekend's IAAF World Cup in Athens.

Jones has not yet confirmed her participation USA Track & Field (USATF) said in a statement yesterday although her manager told Reuters she was planning to compete in the 100 metres in Athens.

"Nothing has changed from last week," Charles Wells said in a telephone interview from his Texas office.

Wells said then Jones would race at the World Cup meeting and in Shanghai later this month.

Jones was cleared of doping last Wednesday after her "B" sample tested negative for the banned blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO).

Her initial sample had tested positive for the drug at the U.S. championships in June. Had the second sample also been positive, she would have faced a two-year ban from the sport.

The 30-year-old has been under scrutiny by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) in connection with the BALCO laboratory doping scandal, but has never been charged with a doping offence.

She has repeatedly denied ever taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Jones is eligible for the World Cup as the U.S. champion. She has until Friday to declare her intentions, USATF said.

If Jones competes in Athens, it will be a return to the Olympic Stadium where she failed to win a medal at the 2004 Games. That was in stark contrast to four years earlier in Sydney where she took three gold medals and two bronzes.

Jones had run poorly since having a son in 2003, but this season only Jamaica's Sherone Simpson has been faster than the American's 10.91 seconds. However, Jones has not competed since July 28.

The U.S. team:

Men: 100 metres - Tyson Gay. 200 - Wallace Spearmon. 400 - LaShawn Merritt. 800 - Khadevis Robinson. 1,500 - Gabe Jennings. 3,000 - Adam Goucher. 5,000 - Matt Tegenkamp. 3,000 steeplechase - Steve Slattery. 110 hurdles - Ryan Wilson. 400 hurdles - Kerron Clement. High jump - Tora Harris. Pole vault - Russ Buller. Long jump - Brian Johnson. Triple jump - Walter Davis. Shot put - Reese Hoffa. Discus - Ian Waltz. Hammer - A.G. Kruger. Javelin - Rob Minnitti. Relay pools: to be announced.

Women: 100 - Marion Jones. 200 - Sanya Richards. 400 - Sanya Richards. 1,500 -Treniere Clement. 3,000 - Kara Goucher. 5,000 - Lauren Fleshman. 3,000 steeplechase - Lisa Galaviz. 100 hurdles - Ginnie Powell. 400 hurdles - LaShinda Demus. High jump - Amy Acuff. Pole vault - Jenn Stuczynski. Long jump - Rose Richmond. Triple jump - Shani Marks. Shot put - Jillian Camarena. Discus - Aretha Thurmond. Hammer - Erin Gilreath. Javelin - Kim Kreiner. Relay pools - to be announced.