Athletics: Marion Jones admits steroid use

BBC

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US athlete Marion Jones has pleaded guilty to lying about her steroid use to US investigators, which could see her jailed and stripped of her medals.

The 31-year-old had previously denied using performance-enhancing drugs ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she won five medals - three of them gold.

In court she admitted using a steroid between September 2000 and July 2001, and lying to a federal inquiry in 2003.

After leaving court a tearful Ms Jones said she was retiring from athletics.

"Because of my actions I am retiring from the sport of track and field, a sport which I deeply love," she said, admitting she had broken the trust of her fans.

Ms Jones said she was told by her former coach Trevor Graham that she was taking flaxseed oil, a nutritional supplement, when it was actually a steroid known as "the clear".

"By November 2003, I realised he was giving me performance-enhancing drugs," she told the judge at court in New York.

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Seems to have taken a long time to get her to final admit cheating. One of the most high profile for a long time. I presume she will be striped of her titles (7 years later) & have to give back medals & prize money. Of course she never failed a test...

I'm in shock. :rolleyes:

Don't understand how athletics is still around as a top level professional sport, to be honest.

but sure taking performance enhancing drugs in america doesn't matter, acheivements still stand!!

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Originally Posted by paul_oshea

but sure taking performance enhancing drugs in america doesn't matter, acheivements still stand!!

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She didn't achieve them in US...

Everyone should read the book "Game of Shadows". Everything they wrote about Jones has now been proven to be true.

Does this mean the person who finished 4th will get bumped up to bronze etc etc?

I remember when Roy Jones failed a high profile drugs test in a world title fight and it was just swept under the carpet. I think it helped that his opponent also tested positive!!!

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Originally Posted by shakermaker1982

Does this mean the person who finished 4th will get bumped up to bronze etc etc?

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Not sure how it works but it seems fair to put the person that came fourth up to bronze.

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Don't understand how athletics is still around as a top level professional sport, to be honest.

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Drug taking rife in all professional sports - you can't single out individual sports.

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Originally Posted by Macy

Drug taking rife in all professional sports - you can't single out individual sports.

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Winners usually have a higher chance of getting tested which is probably why they caught more often. Then again I suppose it would be sad to be taking drugs & still lose.

Like a certain ex Cork City player's lawyer?

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Originally Posted by Kramer

Not sure how it works but it seems fair to put the person that came fourth up to bronze.

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You'd think that but the chick who was second was the greek bird who was done for the pretend crash before Athens to avoid her test :(

Athletics is 100% corrupt, at least cycling is trying to tackle their demons.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Like a certain ex Cork City player's lawyer?

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He got caught before he competed so we will never know.

Isn't it funny how Irish drug cheats find the same new profession. :p

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Originally Posted by endabob1

You'd think that but the chick who was second was the greek bird who was done for the pretend crash before Athens to avoid her test

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I don't think they will have any option but to award her the gold as she was apparently clean then. Very embarrassing though.

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Originally Posted by pete

Isn't it funny how Irish drug cheats find the same new profession.

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Only the two that've been caught...

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Originally Posted by Macy

Drug taking rife in all professional sports - you can't single out individual sports.

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Yeah, probably. Just seems to me that there's no particular skill involved in athletics - all you have to be is pumped up with drugs more than the next person - and yet it's still hugely popular. Like even in football, I could take any drugs under the sun and I'd still be a poor footballer. There's at least skil to admire in other sports, even if their stamina is boosted by drugs.

There's a huge amount of skill/technique involved in every athletics event. Its not just running as fast as possible, or throwing as hard as possible...

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Originally Posted by Dodge

There's a huge amount of skill/technique involved in every athletics event. Its not just running as fast as possible, or throwing as hard as possible...

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Technique only gets you part way. After that, nearly all of the improvement is down to condition.

OR conditioning will get you to a place, and only improving your technique will get you the rest of the way.... ;)

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Originally Posted by pineapple stu

I'm in shock. :rolleyes:

Don't understand how athletics is still around as a top level professional sport, to be honest.

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Hardly a shock really. She used to be trained by Charlie Francis. She was married to CJ Jones who was banned from the Olympics for drug use. She then had a kid with Tim Montgomery who, you've guessed it, is banned from the sport.

She's a cute girl but obviously not the smartest.

That self publicist fat fcuk traitor lover Humphries creamed himself over this in yesterday's IT. Naturally enough he managed to fit in camogie into the article. Surprised he didnt slag off John O'Donoghue or Rovers.

KOH

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Originally Posted by pete

I presume she will be striped of her titles (7 years later) & have to give back medals & prize money. Of course she never failed a test...

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No she won't. Michele Smith de Bruijn still shows as the 1996 Triple Gold Medal Winner. They were never taken from her despite subsequent test failures.

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Originally Posted by joeSoap

No she won't. Michele Smith de Bruijn still shows as the 1996 Triple Gold Medal Winner. They were never taken from her despite subsequent test failures.

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Smith never failed a drugs test.

Jones has handed back her medals to the IOC apparently

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Smith never failed a drugs test.

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Ever hear of guilt by association? She received a four year suspension in 1998 after being found guilty of tampering with a urine sample. The ban was imposed after a urine sample taken during a routine random drug test was found to be contaminated with alcohol. Draw your own conclusions. The IOC could easily had grounds to take those medals but didn't.

I know the situation, I was answering your "subsequent test failures" bit.

And the IOC wouldn't have had a praayer of taking back the medals as unlike in the Jones/ben Johnson case she didn't admit to taking steroids during the period she won the medals

Indeed she still protests her innocence.

Indeed she still does...balls of the bull that one.

That's the basic difference. The only reason the IOC can strip Jones of her title is because she herself has admitted to being doped up when she won the titles. Timing is important in these matters.

BTW Jones hasn't officially been stripped of her titles. She's handed back her medals but for now, she's still recorded as winning those medals

That's right but unlike in other cases the IOC can strip the titles with relative ease. Re-assigning the medals though could cause a headache as has already been alluded to in this thread.

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Originally Posted by joeSoap

Indeed she still does...balls of the bull that one.

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Unfortunate side-effect :(