The Associated Press

ATHENS—Brazilian sports officials blamed inadequate course security for a defrocked priest's bizarre attack on the Olympic marathon leader, and said Monday they will appeal to world track authorities for a duplicate gold medal.

The criticism of Athens Olympic organizers, who have been praised for their overall security, came as former priest Cornelius Horan was given a one-year suspended sentence. Horan also was fined $3,600 and warned to stay out of trouble in Greece for the next three years.

Carlos Arthur Nuzman, president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, said marathoner Vanderlei de Lima should have been better guarded as he ran ahead of the field with about three miles to go Sunday on the closing day of the Olympics.

Horan jumped from the crowd and grabbed de Lima, knocking him into roadside spectators. De Lima continued running, but soon lost his lead and finished third.

Athens Olympic organizers could not be reached for comment.

Roberto Gesta de Melo, head of the Brazilian track federation, said an appeal will be filed in about a week with the International Association of Athletics Federations seeking a gold medal for de Lima. An IAAF race jury rejected a similar appeal Sunday night, saying it sympathized with the Brazilian but could not change the result.

"It's something not usual, of course, but some decisions have been done like that before," de Melo said, referring to the request for a duplicate gold medal. "I think it would be a gesture of fair play."

Brazilian officials emphasized they have no intention of taking medals away from champion Stefano Baldini of Italy or runner-up Meb Keflezighi of the United States. They said they will appeal to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport if the IAAF does not agree to the second gold medal.

Horan, 57, was convicted by a three-member misdemeanor court of violating laws on extracurricular sports.

IT'S IN THE MAIL: Erin Mirabella waited years for an Olympic medal. She'll spend the next few days waiting by the mailbox.

Mirabella left Athens on Monday without the bronze medal that the International Olympic Committee declared one day earlier she should have. Colombia's Maria Luisa Calle Williams was disqualified after testing positive for a prohibited stimulant, a move that bumped Mirabella from fourth place to third.

"I am very excited, but I am disappointed that I didn't get a medal ceremony, and that I didn't get to ride around the velodrome with the American flag," Mirabella said to friends and relatives in an e-mail obtained by the Associated Press. "It is kind of a bummer that the Colombian stole those moments from me."

There was, however, an impromptu ceremony.

Mirabella learned shortly before Sunday's closing ceremony that she was the bronze medalist. Knowing that winners received olive wreaths on the podium following their event, mountain biker Mary McConneloug delivered a handmade one to Mirabella .