The Rediff Team

Sources indicate that the IOC will oppose moves by the US Olympic Committee to give accreditation, as support staff, to C J Hunter in order to allow him to continue coaching track superstar Marion Jones at the Sydney Olympics.

Jones is bidding for an unprecedented five golds, and her husband C J Hunter, who it was announced has tested positive four times to enormous amounts of nandrolone, is her chief coach.

IOC vice president Dick Pound, in response to a question at a media briefing on whether he was happy to see Hunter continue to remain in Sydney, replied with a succinct "No!".

Earlier, Hunter along with Marion Jones and hotshot lawyer Johnnie Cochran had held a press briefing, on course of which the world shot put champion burst into tears and said four positive tests for steroids were caused by a nutritional supplement.

Hunter promised to retire from competition, but added that he would produce scientific evidence to clear his name.

The head of the IOC's drug panel, Jacques Rogge, countered by saying it was ''impossible'' for a supplement to cause such high readings for nandrolone. Hunter's tests revealed nandrolone 1000 times the permitted result. ''The only way to have such levels is either by injection or by taking pills,'' Rogge said.

Nandralone testing has been in the spotlight lately, and the Hunter case, with the high-profile Cochrane now taking a hand, threatens to take it to another level. Both Britain's Linford Christie and Jamaica's Merlene Ottey, who have returned positive tests, have claimed there is something wrong with the tests themselves and have blamed nutritional supplements.

The USOC meanwhile is determined to find some way of allowing Hunter to be by his wife's side as she makes an assault on history. "He is very important for her," a USOC spokesman said.

At the media briefing, a composed Jones made a brief statement supporting her husband, before leaving while Hunter remained to take media questions. ''I am here to show my complete support for my husband,'' Jones said. ''I have total and complete respect for my husband and l believe the legal system will do what it needs to do to clear his name.''

She then asked the media not to contact her any more until after the Games have ended.

Cochran for his part explained his presence by saying he was a family friend, but in response to direct questioning, did not rule out the possibility that he could represent Hunter in the latter's bid to clear his name.

Interestingly, in 1992 when Marion Jones, then a promising junior athlete, failed to submit to a urine test and was banned for four years, it was Cochran who defended her and overturned the ban.

The first salvo in what could turn into a high profile case was fired by the Hunter camp on Tuesday, when nutritionist Dr Victor Conte said that as per available evidence, Hunter could not have taken the steroid as the nandralone concentrations in his urine samples are too low. The positive test was returned from a blood sampe.

Conte said that Hunter had been taking an iron supplement, which in lab testing has come up positive for nandralone.

Hunter, who announced at the end of the media briefing that he had in any case not intended to compete any more, after pulling out of the shot put event in Sydney with an alleged knee injury, said he was sorry for bringing shame to his family, and that he had already apologised to his wife, Marion Jones, when he first heard the test results.

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