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Parents of US Olympian Tianna Madison sue daughter
AP September 08, 201211:58AM



Tianna Madison celebrates after winning the women's 4x100m relay at the Olympic Stadium, London, Britain. Source: Supplied



US athlete Tianna Madison after competing in the women's 100m semifinals at the athletics event of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Robert and Jo Ann Madison filed a libel, slander and defamation lawsuit against her. Source: AFP

THE parents of US Olympic gold medallist Tianna Madison have sued her, saying she spread stories they had been selfish and bullying and cheated her financially.

Robert and Jo Ann Madison filed the libel, slander and defamation lawsuit on Thursday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court in Cleveland.

The 27-year-old Tianna said her parents had mismanaged her finances. She also claimed her parents had allowed a boy who had molested her in the past to enter their home while she was there.

Her parents insist they've been loving, supportive and generous parents.

Tianna Madison was on the winning 4x100-metre relay track team at the Summer Olympics in London.

She won the gold with Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter in world record time. The lawsuit also names her husband, John Bartoletta.

The Tampa, Florida, couple couldn't be reached for comment.

Jo Ann Madison said in the complaint that she and her husband have spent around $100,000 supporting their daughter, and said they needed some support as well.

The parents claim that their daughter and her husband, since March of this year, had repeatedly published false and defamatory statements in media outlets.

The parents' lawsuit seeks more than $25,000 each in compensatory and punitive damages.