The Washington Post is reporting that famed American sprinter Marion Jones has failed a drug test that was administered after the U.S. track and field championships held in June in Indianapolis. According to the report, Jones is said to have tested positive for the banned substance Erythropoietin (EPO) which is a hormone that regulates the production of red blood cells, and as a result can greatly enhance an athlete’s endurance.
Friday morning Jones abruptly pulled out of the Weltklasse Golden League Meet in Zurich Switzerland, and there has been a dearth of information coming from anyone who should have knowledge of Jones’ situation. There were no comments from meet organizers in Zurich, the U.S. Olympic Committee, U.S. Track and Field or the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
Jones’ coach Steve Riddick seemed to go out of his way to distance himself from his client, saying that he knew nothing about why Jones wasn’t competing at the Weltklasse and said, “Me, I’m a two year coach with her so I don’t go too far into detail.” Riddick went on to say that, “I’m just the coach. If she wanted to tell me more she will. I don’t push it. I really don’t have a clue.” Does he coach the backpedal?
Marion Jones has been under a cloud of suspicion since the Sydney Summer Games of 2000 when it was learned that her then-husband, shot putter C.J. Hunter, had failed numerous drug tests. Things got worse for Jones as she was ensnared in the Balco Labs scandal as Victor Conte – the mastermind of the Balco criminal enterprise – and her ex-husband Hunter told the world that Marion Jones had used a variety of banned/illegal performance enhancing drugs. Conte said that he not only saw the sprinter use drugs, but that he taught Marion Jones how to inject herself with human growth hormone.
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
Sal, way to ... um ... track ... this story.
2 - Hairynipples
Isn't it possible that it takes a decade to loose some of these drugs? How come I have flashbacks from a walk home in Belmar 15 years ago still? What did I eat before going out? Mushroom pizza hold the pizza? Why am I sitting here in my underwear?
3 - sal m
while there is a known phenomena of acid/mushroom flashback, there is no such thing as an EPO flashback. and the good thing about your trip in belmar is that you remembered where you left your skate key back when you were in second grade.
4 - greg
Sal:
Way to tell it. I saw Jones compete repeatedly. She was the very poster child for better performance through chemicals. Ripped stomach, defined upper body. Everyone knew she was using. A couple of years ago, me and a friend of mine had our entire section turn their backs when she took the track at the Penn Relays to protest her. Saddly, others didn't follow suit and allowed her to continue to compete and pollute the sport. She's a liar, a cheat who has been at the epicenter of this horrible chapter of track and field.
Obviously, the governing bodies can't clean it up. Here's what might. A class action suit against all the venues and meets where she competed--they sold tickets to a athletic competition. Now it turns out it was rigged. It's like any company that sells a product that is defective. Also, all those athletes who ran against her and would have won, if not but for her drugs, should sue her for damages. Backrupt some of these people and their organizations and you better believe they will put an end to it!
There should be an oganization--Fans for Clean Sports, who file lawsuits against these frauds!
5 - Nu On
Let's face it: Most of big-time professional sports is dirty (baseball, football, track, cycling) when it comes to performance enhancing drugs.
It is merely a matter of how good you are at hiding it.
6 - MCH
"She was the very poster child for better performance through chemicals. Ripped stomach, defined upper body."
Wait a minute. Jackie Joyner-Kersey had a ripped stomach and defined upper body, and she never used.