LAUSANNE, Switzerland

(Reuters):

The International Oly-mpic Committee delayed a decision to reallocate medals won by Marion Jones at the 2000 Games because more athletes may be involved in the BALCO doping affair, an IOC official said yesterday.

The IOC executive board meeting that started yesterday is set to strip Jones' five medals, including three golds, after the U.S. sprinter confessed in October to taking banned substances.

It will further investigate the case for fear that more Olympic athletes, who could be upgraded, may be involved in the BALCO affair.

"We feel that some names of athletes may still appear (in the BALCO case)," disciplinary commission member Denis Oswald told reporters, adding that a decision to strip Jones of her medals would be taken this week.

"We know there were more athletes-clients. We want to know more about the BALCO case and be sure that other athletes who may be positively affected (by the upgrading) are not involved in this."