Marion Jones' American relay teammates at the 2000 Olympics have sustained a setback in their attempt to hold on to their medals, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejecting their motion Friday to overturn the International Olympic Committee's decision to strip the medals after Jones admitted to doping.

The ruling was a preliminary one in the runners' case, responding to their motion that the IOC could not disqualify them beyond a three-year period after the games. The medals were revoked by the IOC in 2008 after Jones pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about performance-enhancing drug use.

The court will schedule a full hearing on the case next year.

Jones surrendered her medals after her plea, but her relay teammates appealed, arguing that they should not be punished for her doping offense. At issue are a gold medal in the 1,600-meter relay and a bronze in the 400-meter relay.

Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan, LaTasha Colander Clark and Andrea Anderson were on the gold-medal relay team with Jones. Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry and Passion Richardson were her teammates on the 400 relay. All of them except Perry are involved in the appeal.

The motion denied by the court Friday involved an IOC rule cited by the runners that no Olympic decision could be overturned more than three years after the games. According to the court's secretary general, Mattieu Reeb, the full hearing will most likely be held after February's Olympics in Vancouver.

Should the appeal fail, Jamaica would be awarded the gold in the 1,600-meter relay, Russia would be elevated to silver and Nigeria would get the bronze. In the 400 relay, fourth-place France would be given the Americans' bronze medals.

Francesco and Edoardo Molinari of Italy will finish the year in the top 50 in the world and become the first set of brothers in 10 years to compete in the same Masters. The Masters invites the top 50 in the final world ranking of the year, which was finalized yesterday after the South African Open, the last official tournament of 2009. Franceso Molinari will finish at No. 38, while Edoardo Molinari will be No. 48. The World Cup winners in China last month, they will be the first brothers at Augusta National since Jumbo and Joe Ozaki in 2000.

Also qualifying is Michael Sim of Australia, who won three times on the Nationwide Tour and won its money title. Ben Curtis will finish at No. 50 by one-thousandth of a point over Ryan Moore, who already is eligible from winning a PGA Tour event.

• Richie Ramsay of Scotland birdied the first hole of a playoff to defeat Shiv Kapur of India and win the South African Open. Ramsay shot a 7-under 65 in Paarl, South Africa, to move past overnight leader Pablo Martin of Spain, who shot a 73 at Jack Nicklaus-designed Pearl Valley. Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Anders Hansen of Denmark was a stroke back in third after a 69. Kapur finished with a 67 in the event sanctioned by the European and Sunshine tours.

Ramsay had a putt on No. 18 to win the championship, but it went just left, forcing the playoff. Kapur had to lay up in the playoff, also on No. 18, while Ramsay reached the green in two and his 15-foot eagle putt came up just short, enabling him to tap in. The Scot took control at the 17th went he sent his approach over a water hazard and landed it on the green to leave a 15-foot putt.

Italian organizers say a deal has been signed with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone to stage a Rome Grand Prix on the streets of Italy's capital. Course planner Maurizio Flammini told Sky Italia that an agreement with Ecclestone "has already been done and signed" but did not say when the first Rome GP might be held. The 2010 F1 calendar has already been set. City authorities have been making plans for the race for more than a year and intend to use the city streets as a course, in similar fashion as the popular races in Monaco and Valencia. If the Rome GP becomes a reality, it would mean a second annual stop in Italy on the F1 calendar. The Monza circuit near Milan has hosted the Italian Grand Prix since 1922.

Marion Jones' American relay teammates at the 2000 Olympics have sustained a setback in their attempt to hold on to their medals, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejecting their motion Friday to overturn the International Olympic Committee's decision to strip the medals after Jones admitted to doping.

The ruling was a preliminary one in the runners' case, responding to their motion that the IOC could not disqualify them beyond a three-year period after the games. The medals were revoked by the IOC in 2008 after Jones pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about performance-enhancing drug use.

The court will schedule a full hearing on the case next year.

Jones surrendered her medals after her plea, but her relay teammates appealed, arguing that they should not be punished for her doping offense. At issue are a gold medal in the 1,600-meter relay and a bronze in the 400-meter relay.

Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan, LaTasha Colander Clark and Andrea Anderson were on the gold-medal relay team with Jones. Chryste Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry and Passion Richardson were her teammates on the 400 relay. All of them except Perry are involved in the appeal.

The motion denied by the court Friday involved an IOC rule cited by the runners that no Olympic decision could be overturned more than three years after the games. According to the court's secretary general, Mattieu Reeb, the full hearing will most likely be held after February's Olympics in Vancouver.

Should the appeal fail, Jamaica would be awarded the gold in the 1,600-meter relay, Russia would be elevated to silver and Nigeria would get the bronze. In the 400 relay, fourth-place France would be given the Americans' bronze medals.

Francesco and Edoardo Molinari of Italy will finish the year in the top 50 in the world and become the first set of brothers in 10 years to compete in the same Masters. The Masters invites the top 50 in the final world ranking of the year, which was finalized yesterday after the South African Open, the last official tournament of 2009. Franceso Molinari will finish at No. 38, while Edoardo Molinari will be No. 48.

The World Cup winners in China last month, they will be the first brothers at Augusta National since Jumbo and Joe Ozaki in 2000.

Also qualifying is Michael Sim of Australia, who won three times on the Nationwide Tour and won its money title. Ben Curtis will finish at No. 50 by one-thousandth of a point over Ryan Moore, who already is eligible from winning a PGA Tour event.

• Richie Ramsay of Scotland birdied the first hole of a playoff to defeat Shiv Kapur of India and win the South African Open. Ramsay shot a 7-under 65 in Paarl, South Africa, to move past overnight leader Pablo Martin of Spain, who shot a 73 at Jack Nicklaus-designed Pearl Valley. Sunshine Tour Order of Merit winner Anders Hansen of Denmark was a stroke back in third after a 69.

Kapur finished with a 67 in the event sanctioned by the European and Sunshine tours. Ramsay had a putt on No. 18 to win the championship, but it went just left, forcing the playoff. Kapur had to lay up in the playoff, also on No. 18, while Ramsay reached the green in two and his 15-foot eagle putt came up just short, enabling him to tap in. The Scot took control at the 17th went he sent his approach over a water hazard and landed it on the green to leave a 15-foot putt.

Italian organizers say a deal has been signed with Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone to stage a Rome Grand Prix on the streets of Italy's capital. Course planner Maurizio Flammini told Sky Italia that an agreement with Ecclestone "has already been done and signed" but did not say when the first Rome GP might be held.

The 2010 F1 calendar has already been set. City authorities have been making plans for the race for more than a year and intend to use the city streets as a course, in similar fashion as the popular races in Monaco and Valencia. If the Rome GP becomes a reality, it would mean a second annual stop in Italy on the F1 calendar.

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