In a bizarre subplot to the Marion Jones saga, one of the chief beneficiaries of her lies is likely to be an athlete awaiting a trial for perjury arising from the scandal that rocked the 2004 Olympics.

If Jones is stripped of her medals, then by the normal process of reallocating them, the gold for the 100 metres will go to Ekaterina Thanou. The Greek sprinter was runner-up in Sydney but missed the Athens Olympics after a mysterious motorcycle accident caused her and a teammate, Konstantinos Kenteris, to miss an eve-of-competition dope test.

They were banned by the IAAF for missing three tests, but that was overturned by a Greek tribunal before the case went to the Court of Arbitration for Sport last year. The pair have been charged with making false statements and asking medical staff to fabricate certificates. Their case was due to be heard last week, but has now been postponed until next June.

Merlene Ottey, who had been banned for doping until clearing her name just before Sydney, was fourth in the 100 metres and so will be elevated to third, giving her a record nine Olympic medals.

The 200 metres gold would go to Pauline Davis-Thompson, of the Bahamas, thus making her a double gold medal-winner in Sydney alongside her role in the 4 x 100 metres relay team. The 4 x 400 metres relay gold, won by the United States, would go to Jamacia, while France would get the bronze in the 4 x 100 metres, meaning Christine Aaron would receive a first Olympic medal at the age of 34.

The International Olympic Committee used to be bound by a three-year statute of limitations, but now has the power to go back eight years to amend results.