The Ohio parents of Olympic gold medalist Tianna Madison have sued her, saying she spread stories they had been selfish and bullying and cheated her financially.
Elyria (eh-LEER'-ee-uh) residents Robert and Jo Ann Madison filed the libel, slander and defamation lawsuit Thursday in Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County Common Pleas Court in Cleveland. They say they've been loving, supportive and generous parents.
Tianna Madison was on the winning 4x100-meter relay track team at the Summer Olympics in London. She won the gold with Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter (JEH'-tur) in world record time. The lawsuit also names her husband, John Bartoletta.
The Tampa, Fla., couple have an unpublished phone number and couldn't be reached for comment Friday. The lawsuit doesn't mention an attorney representing them.
The parents' lawsuit seeks more than $25,000 each in compensatory and punitive damages.
