CAS postpone hearing on Montgomery
 |  Montgomery must wait a little longer to see if his appeal is successful |
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LONDON, England -- The Court of Arbitration for Sport has postponed its hearings with American sprinters Tim Montgomery and Chryste Gaines, who have been charged with doping violations.
The hearings were due to start in San Francisco next Monday.
"The new hearing dates will be announced as soon as they have been fixed," CAS said in a statement, without giving a reason for the postponement.
World 100 meters record holder Montgomery and former Olympic 4x100 gold medallist Gaines have appealed to the independent Lausanne-based body after they were charged with doping offences by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
Those offences were linked to the BALCO scandal, which began last year when a previously undetectable designer steroid was linked to the San Francisco-area nutritional laboratory.
USADA also charged 2003 world indoor 200m champion Michelle Collins with doping violations. Her case is now before a U.S. arbitration panel.
Gaines's attorney confirmed the postponement.
"It was at the agreement of all of the parties, both athletes and USADA," said Cameron A. Myler.
She would not specify the reasons but said it did not indicate her client was now willing to accept a suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
"No, that is not what is happening," Myler said. "The hearing definitely will go forward. There are just a number of issues that need to be resolved prior to the start of the hearings."
Sydney Olympic 400 meters silver medallist Alvin Harrison, who received a letter at the same time as Montgomery, Gaines and Collins charging him with doping violations, has settled his case. He accepted a four-year ban earlier this month and announced he was retiring from the sport.