26/03/01: Three-times Olympic gold medallist Marie-Jose Perec has ended a six-month self-imposed exile and contacted French officials.
Jean-Claude Perrin, high-performance director of the French Athletics Federation, said today he had recently got an e-mail from Perec.
The French 400-metres runner left Sydney last year before the Olympics started, saying she had been threatened by a stalker and harrassed by the media.
"She is in a location where she can live quietly without anyone threatening her and in total freedom," Perrin said in an interview with Radio France Inter.
Perrin said "the United States offers all those guarantees" but did not confirm that was where Perec was based.
"She told us that we shouldn't be worried about her, that she is in good health and happy to be alive and that we would see her soon. I think she has made a big step towards overcoming her rehabilitation and overcoming her problems," Perrin said.
Perec has refused to talk about what prompted her departure from Sydney which ruled out her anticipated showdown in the 400 metres final with local favourite Cathy Freeman, who went on to win the gold medal.
The runner has been completely silent since that time and her personal website has not been updated since October.
It is still not clear whether she wants to continue her athletics career.
Reuters