Marion Jones, a role model to many aspiring women athletes around the world, has now fallen from grace. Blessed with a winning smile, along with incredible beauty, poise, and grace, she was the rare combination of power and femininity. Her glowing success in track and field translated into riches and instant celebrity status. Suddenly, she has managed to lose it all. However, this was coming. She has been suspected of using steroids to enhance performance, and people thought that she was just too good.
Marion Jones, owner of three Olympic gold and two bronze medals pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs. Given the guilty plea it is almost a done deal that she will have to give back all of the medals and her records will be erased from the public record. In a teary apology afterward outside the U.S. District Court, she said she was retiring effective immediately. She also pleaded guilty to a second count of lying to investigators about her association with a check-fraud scheme. Jones admitted lying about her knowledge of her former boyfriend Tim Montgomery's involvement in a scheme to cash millions of dollars worth of stolen or forged checks. Montgomery; Jones' longtime agent Charles Wells; and a former coach, Olympian Steve Riddick, have all been convicted in the scam.
Jones is the biggest name to be brought down so far in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative scandal. But home run king Barry Bonds also has been linked to BALCO, and a grand jury is still investigating whether he lied to federal investigators. If proven Bond's home run records will be marginalized and he would face prison time.
According to Marion Jones, the stuff she took made her feel different. She could train more intensely, recover faster, and post better times. She had to have known that the stuff she was taking was steroid and it was illegal. What made her take steroids? The pressure of winning, fame, or instance fortune. No one will really know for sure, but in a sport where a fraction of a second separates a world champion from second place, taking steroids gives you an unfair advantage and is cheating, pure and simple.
Article comments
1 - Marcia L. Neil
She is indeed young, and was young when filmed injecting herself as if coerced. Maneuvers that cause people to harm themselves are not new--war zones demonstrate the capability upon occasion.
2 - RJ
The United States is disgraced once again, in front of the entire world, as a bunch of cheaters.
I feel no empathy for her. She cheated, and when she won because of that cheating she eagerly sucked up all the attention and accolades and everything else.
In the end, she cheater herself, her sport, and her country. She doesn't deserve an embrace from Oprah, or eventual re-acceptance from the American people.
3 - REMF
Re #2;
Is what Marion did worse than what Rush Limbaugh did? No, in my opinion. And yet you gladly re-accept Lardbaugh.
No hypocrisy there...
4 - The Haze
Did Rush win Olympic Medals for the US.....by cheating? WTF??? If name calling was an Olympic event you would probably get piss tested yourself! Can you say BANK FRAUD?? HELLO??? She didn't do this because she suddenly felt a tinge of guilt.She was gonna go to jail!! BTW - The New England Patriots got caught cheating and guess what? They're undefeated! Go figure.
5 - REMF
Since Marion Jones has returned her Olympic medals, now it's Rush Lardbaugh's turn to return the millions he made when he was carrying on his self-righteous, sanctimonious radio act while stoned on black market Oycontin...
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
Jesus fucking christ in a mason jar, MCH. If there's a story in the news, you'll find a way to tie it to Rush Limbaugh.
The MCH Sports Report
• "Joe Torre is expected to be fired from the New York Yankees. Rush Limbaugh should also be fired for what he said on the radio."
• "The Atlanta Falcons can get $20 million from Michael Vick's signing bonus. Limbaugh should also give $20 million dollars to families of dead soldiers. And did you know Rush Limbaugh didn't serve in the military?"
• "Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart is out for the season with a broken collarbone. Limbaugh should also be out for the year, because he makes millions of dollars for being a right-wing chickenhawk."
• "The Tigers will re-sign catcher Pudge Rodriguez. The military should re-enlist Limbaugh and send him to Iraq, because he likes the Iraq war."
• "The Dallas Cowboys had a remarkable comeback against the Buffalo Bills last night, 25-24. And fuck Rush Limbaugh, he's a phony."
7 - The Haze
you think there's a hidden agenda here somewhere? sheesh!!!!keep your political hatreds out of sports!!!
8 - RJ
Suss:
LOL!