Marion Jones Pleads Guilty To Doping

Olympic Champion Admits Lying About Performance-Enhancing Drug Use, May Lose 5 Medals

(CBS/AP)  Three-time Olympic champion Marion Jones pleaded guilty to lying to U.S. government investigators when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs, and subsequently announced her retirement from athletics.

Outside the courthouse, Jones broke down in tears as she apologized for her actions, saying she fully understands she has disappointed her friends, family and supporters.

"I have let them down. I have let my country down, and I have let myself down," she said. "It is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you I have betrayed your trust.

"I recognize that by saying I'm deeply sorry, it might not be enough and sufficient to address the pain and hurt that I've caused you. Therefore, I want to ask for your forgiveness for my actions, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

In court, Jones, seated at the defense table and speaking in a clear voice through a microphone, Jones said she lied to a federal investigator in November 2003 when he asked if she had used performance-enhancing drugs.

"I answered that I had not. This was a lie, your honor," she said.

She also pleaded guilty to a second count of lying to investigators about her association with a check-fraud conspiracy.

Jones said she took steroids from September 2000 to July 2001 and said she was told by her then-coach Trevor Graham that she was taking flaxseed oil when it was actually "the clear."

"By November 2003, I realized he was giving me performance-enhancing drugs," she told the judge.

She said she "felt different, trained more intensely" and experienced "faster recovery and better times" while using the substance.

"He told me to put it under my tongue for a few seconds and swallow it," she said. "He told me not to tell anyone."

Jones was released on her own recognizance and was due back in court Jan. 11 for sentencing.

Appearing on the CBS Saturday Early Show with Maggie Rodriguez, WFAN Radio sports talk show host Chris Carlin doesn’t buy the flaxseed oil excuse. "It's a little tough to take, to be honest. She's admitting all of this wrongdoing but still not admitting that she knowingly took steroids at the time, it's after the fact.

"Listen, for an athlete not to know what's going in their body - especially an Olympic athlete - at all times, it's a little tough to believe."

It was a stunning fall from grace for Jones, once the most celebrated female athlete in the world. Although she never accomplished her audacious goal of winning five gold medals at the Sydney Olympics, she won three gold and two bronzes.

On the track, the world was awed by Jones' speed, warmed by her smile. Considered at the time the greatest woman sprinter ever, she turned those medals into millions. Advertisers adored her. She was paid 50 to 70 thousand dollars to run in races worldwide.

When allegations first serviced about steroids, she didn't simply deny it: She vehemently denied all doping allegations, even issuing this emphatic declaration in 2004: "I have never, ever used performance-enhancing drugs." She also sued a San Francisco lab owner for defamation after he accused Jones of using performance-enhancing drugs and said he watched her inject herself.

Today, dressed in a dark suit and pink shirt, Jones was somber when she arrived at U.S. District Court with her mother and her attorney, biting her lower lip as reporters and cameras swarmed her. Her mother stumbled at one point but got up and accompanied her daughter inside, where she was fingerprinted and processed before the hearing.

The flaxseed oil Jones said was given to her actually was "the clear" - a performance-enhancing drug linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), a San Francisco lab at the center of the steroids scandal in professional sports.

Former sprint record holder and Jones' ex-boyfriend Tim Montgomery as well as recently crowned U.S. Major League Baseball career home run leader Barry Bonds also have been linked to BALCO, and were two of more than two dozen athletes who testified before a grand jury in 2003.

Bonds, like Jones previously, has denied ever knowingly using banned substances.

The International Olympic Committee already has opened an investigation into doping allegations against Jones in December 2004, and said Friday it will step up its probe and move quickly to strip her of her medals.

Under statute of limitations rules, the IOC and other sports bodies can go back eight years to strip medals and nullify results. In Jones' case, that would include the 2000 Olympics, where she won gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters and 1,600-meter relay and bronze in the long jump and 400-meter relay.

In addition to any jail term, Jones could face a long competition ban from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

"I don't feel any sense of vindication," said BALCO founder Victor Conte, who was sued by Jones for $25 million in 2004. "I feel very sad for Marion and her entire family. I'm sure their pain is great and they are in need of forgiveness.

"All of us have made poor decisions in our lives and suffered the consequences. Marion is not a bad person."

Suspicions and doping allegations have dogged Jones for years. Her ex-husband, C.J. Hunter, was found guilty of doping, and Montgomery, the father of her son Monty, was stripped of his world record in the 100 meters in connection with the BALCO case.

Jones herself was one of the athletes who testified before a grand jury in the BALCO investigation. And in August 2006, one of her urine samples tested positive for EPO, but she was cleared when a backup sample tested negative.

"It cost me a lot of money to defend myself," Conte said Thursday. "But I told the truth then, and I'm telling it now."

"What we see here is sports at its worse moment in history, in which you cannot trust your athletes any more to be clean and playing without juice," Sports Illustrated writer Luis Fernando Llosa told CBS News national correspondent Byron Pitts.

Carlin noted that the prevalence of athletes falling from grace over drug use is rising because of the money involved.

"When you're talking about athletes [like] Marion Jones, you know, she has millions and millions of dollars that she earned from all of this, from her five medals. [It's] a big temptation. You certainly understand it and there's a big difference in a couple of tenths of a second, [it] can be a huge difference money-wise."

Rodriguez noted that while accusations of steroid use have dogged some major athletes like San Francisco Giant Barry Bonds, fans still show up.

"I think the fans mind," Carlin said. "I think the fans have a little bit of a moral issue with it, but at the same time, they still love the game so much that it's hard for them to stay away. Baseball in particular, they're setting all kinds of attendance records. I don't think it's about hitting home runs or anything like that - it's about the game.

"Barry Bonds broke the most important record in all of professional sports and nobody really cares about it," Carlin noted. "I think that should tell you everything you need to know."

Carlin said harsher punishment, such as jail time (Jones faces a minimum of six months in prison) is warranted. "The more harshly they get punished, the better it will turn out but at the same time, as long as there are steroids and performance-enhancing drugs out there that there is no test for the moment they're going to keep doing it because again it's more money in their pocket and that ultimately and sadly is what it's all about.

The saddest part of Jones' tragic tale is that athletes with as much natural talent as she has certainly doesn’t need such drugs to perform. "You can understand almost to a degree some of the guys who don't quite have as much talent and are trying to get over the top, but the superstars? Barry Bonds was going to be a Hall of Famer anyway and he goes on and brings himself nothing but a whole lot of aggravation, and certain no respect from the fans whatsoever."

[rational_1]

I read an article a while back that stated that in the last few years women''s track records have not been falling as often as men''s and the author thought it was largely due to better testing for steroids. Women obviously get a better boost out of anabolics than men, since men already have 10x as much testosterone to begin with. For a while there women''s athletic records were dropping like flies, but now it appears most of that was bogus (think of the Chinese women swimmers a decade or so ago - Clydesdales!). The women''s world record in the 100m dash is about 10.5 sec (set in 1988) but recently how often do you read of a woman even breaking 11 sec? What a travesty!

[rational_1]

When will Bonds man up?
Posted by jh6379 at 09:34 AM : Oct 05, 2007

You have to be a man to "man up". Weasels can''t man up.

[cryonbrian]

Big deal! Americans need to stop looking for heroes and get a life!

[Krazcarl]

RATIONAL_1...Never saw it like that but excellent point.

[jasbek]

Apparently these athletes weren''t aware of the statement, "Be sure your sin will find you out". Happens all the time. She probably figured with as much time had past that no one would ever know.

[global_chick]

I hope she is forced to return the medals. She is just another no-talent hack who cheated her way onto the podium and cheated someone who played by the rules out of their glory. I hope she is banned for life.

[godofredo29]

It looks like it didn''t work for her to ditch her (ex) husband and blame everything on him.

[MIpapaof4]

Another dumb college girl gone to the dogs. I dunno. I didn''t know what it was I was taking. DUH dumber than Bonds, but just barely.

[opedanderson]

FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE FAKE

Any good athlete can train for years and do reasonably, sometimes extremely well. But no one person can dominate any sport for any length of time without using illegal performance enhancers.

Lance Armstrong, are you listening?!

[global_chick]

A loser, a liar and a cheat. Good riddance.

[dogsoul]

...why DID she admit to it anyway? I would assume they must have had the goods on her?

[jsilver2th]

Isn''t it slightly odd that the first athlete taken out in this deal is a Black Woman?

I wonder what kind of scrutiny the foreign athletes get?

[gwagener]

They should take all the limits off for doping athletes as long as it is done under the supervision of a doctor. If some athletes are harmed or killed, big deal. They are just animals performing for our amusement anyway.

[dogsoul]

"Isn''t it slightly odd that the first athlete taken out in this deal is a Black Woman?"

yeah... I mean, with so few black runners it seems pretty strange a black one would get busted...

[misssuzq]

She''s the dope on dope.
Why do people do this to themselves, especially currently, when testing is done even on pro golfers?

[ssm9451]

I applaud her for her courage to come forth with the truth and to make her statement without a written script!! The best to her and her family.
Those without sin can cast the first stone........

[downtowner97]

Sport is dead.

[theseventh-2009]

She made a mistake, yes. Hope she pulls through though...wonder how she would have done without the juice.

[oeangus]

It took her two months to realize her trainer was giving her steroids? What a liar.

[oeangus]

...Isn''t it slightly odd that the first athlete taken out in this deal is a Black Woman?...

Ah yes, the old race thing. Well, they had to be SOME sort of color, right? Green would be odd. Orange would simply clash.

Americans, LOL...

[softspoken99]

Whats the big deal about taking dope anyway? Its not bionics, ya know.

[softspoken99]

You don''t owe me any explanations, lady.

[mdc76082]

What a loser. I put her right up there with the crack-heads, heroin users, and all the other illegal drug using scum. Just a big''ol fat "0 (zero)". Cheaters never prevail. It''ll always come back to bite you in the a_ss.

[cryonbrian]

Marion at least you got to be looked at as an American for years. Now you just go back to being another Black Woman!

[truthspeake2]

Keep your headup Marion and stay strong...Honesty, even after the fact, is a very rare thing in America these days!

[keithle1]

Stupid.

Was it worth it? You can''t hide this kind of thing forever. So much for her name & reputation. Can never be trusted completely.

Too bad.

[rmsdm4]

Where''s race ***#s Sharpton and Jackson? Its because she''s black. Where are the protest!!!

[oeangus]

Yes Marion, you poor Black woman (like that has anything to do with it). Lying and cheating for fame, glory and money...

Not a rare thing at all these days - completely commonplace in sports, politics, business...

[luigi999-2009]

Another liar like Michael Vick and that hooker in the Duke "rape" case! Of course, like the others Marion Jones played the race card, the poor little victim. She went so far as to hire the charlatan, Johnnie "OJ" Cochran. Now, she admits she lied. What a bag of garbage.

[kiwi_chick]

We hardly need Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson when we have the white counterparts on this site commenting now do we rmsdm4? That''s right rmsdm4. Take a good long look in the mirror....you and these other race baiting losers are the white Al and Jesses. I''ll bet the only claim to fame you will ever have is saying you write chit on the CBS weblogs.

[luigi999-2009]

Oh yes, Marion sweetie, make sure you cry for the cameras, you know, like you used to do. You can do it little Marion, you''ve always been such a great con artist. The media will eat it up, sweetie! They''re too dumb to see through it, Marion baby!

[oeangus]

Thank you kiwi_chick. Race baiters is exactly what these people are. Ridiculous.

[goatman794]

She should loose all her metals.. she cheated the other hardworking people out of their medals. shame on her!!!!

[shanev137]

Geez....is there anyone who is NOT doping?

[boultinb]

It is said we build people up to tear them down. Only God has the right to judge and it is said in 2007 we do not look at what is inside a person, but continue to look at race and gender. when will american people stop judging each other. She is a good person who made a bad decision, as if we all have not done this at one time in our lives.

[name_verify]

INVESTIGATE BONDS

Barry Bonds shot steroids into his pecs until he began lactating.

Barry Bonds shot HGH into his scrotum until it swelled up so big he couldn''t walk and missed game 2 of the world series.

Barry Bonds drank elk *** in an attempt reverse the shrinkage of his testicals fro using steroids.

INVESTIGATE BONDS

[jerr11]

At least she''s big enough to admit to lying. Her lies got her some medals, no big deal!

Compare that to the coward liar in the White House.

His lies has killed thousands of Americans.

And he still goes around with that innocent look on his face, claiming he''s doing it to fight terrorism.

It''s more like to enrich his cronies at Halliburton.

Heckuva job, Bush!!

LOL

[tbweb]

What does race and gender have to do with cheating?

Posted by hoofhearted0 at 12:48 AM : Oct 06, 2007,,,

Nothing, but its widely known that many professionals in every culture and area of professional life cheat, many have publicly, privately and anonymously admitted to as much. But despite that, there seems to be a focus and systematic assault on Black professionals and entertainers and thats a fact! I would like to see more balanced reporting. In the case of the NBA Referee accused and found guilty of cheating he testified there were many others who cheated along with him, yet he was dismissed as lying and it was determined he was acting alone, case closed! Yeah right! Michael Vick was convicted of dog-fighting and was clearly guilty and wrong but thats not the point, the point is Peyton Manning would have been treated differently and maybe not even treated at all and thats the point!

[missingamerica]

I dunno why anybody thinks cheating makes a victory worthwhile, unless it is on the battlefield.

A fine and shining example Business sets for us, eh?

Cheat like hell, and get a vacation in a prison with tennis courts, a jacuzzi, and conjugal visits.

[iceman_1960]

"She also pleaded guilty to a second count of lying to investigators about her association with a check-fraud conspiracy."

Pled. She pled guilty.

She''s too cute to go to prison. Just give her community service.

Bill Romanowski didn''t go to prison for this stuff. And he isn''t cute at all. Real mean looking s.o.b.

[hypnotoad72]

I thought she was caught doing steroids; not marijuana?

And cheating is cheating; why are some people attempting to segregate it into a racial issue?

She has made a series of bad decisions; and wouldn''t be seen nearly as badly if she was honest from the get-go.

However, to avoid a long and rambling story, it''s just easier to say that she is the "Milli Vanilli of sports".

I think she will find a way to restore her name, especially if she is sincere in her sorrow, but I do not believe it will be directly in the field of sports. (Of course, she''s already ''retired''...) She could become a mentor for students...

[oeangus]

...Black professionals and entertainers and thats a fact!Michael Vick was convicted of dog-fighting and was clearly guilty and wrong but thats not the point, the point is Peyton Manning would have been treated differently and maybe not even treated at all and thats the point!... Posted by tbweb

B.S. You want to do something about racism? Then dump the racist generalizations like these.

[adian1-2009]

Marion, you could have returned voluntarily the three medals you never deserved. But you haven''t. And you say you regret what you have done. You are a shame to all of us Americans, and probably to the whole sports world. All of these years cheating and lying? What a shameful pseudo-champion!!!

[fibonacci_]

Personally, I find it lame that she says she "let her country down." How about more like the whole world. When you participate at sports on an international level, you have more people to apologize to for cheating than just your own country. Imagine how the athletes who competed against her felt. How naive.

I can''t fault her for admitting it though, that took a lot of courage.

[watcher269-2009]

Oh, She''s sorry now! She prayed to the Lord Almighty for forgiveness - Only after she was caught - hmm, the True Republican way - ask for forgiveness only after you''ve been caught! She Lied to Win - She Lied to her "Country" - She''s a CHEATER and a LIAR! Now she''s a Cry-Baby! It all comes back at you - you basked in the Glory - now bask in your disgrace!

[villeee-2009]

I think that we have seen just a tip of an iceberg what comes to the doping in USA. Sport is so huge business in USA, that trainers and athletes do anything to succee. First DDR, Soviet Union and all the other ex-soviet countries and now USA. I am afraid, they are all the same.

[samrensho]

What a surprise, another athlete doping. Let''s make doping totally legal and be done with it. It''d save millions in testing costs and eliminate the problem. Instead of athletes getting medals we could have designer drug labs get them for best drug. These athletes generally have the IQ of a door *** anyway so if they die off soon, no loss.

[name_verify]

If she is really remorseful, then is she going to return all the money she made off endorsements?

...oops she already spent it...

[name_verify]

INVESTIGATE BONDS

Barry Bonds made $150,000,000 over 15 years.

INVESTIGATE BONDS

[whispyseas]

'' .. i met sheros, shake hands kiss babies, light up partys so all relax & have a good time, but away from crowds, they blow things up & shoot folk, i''d meet her boss, same, party by day, blow *** up at night, and i went up up up, each fight a war already won, THE war, that can''t be lost ... ''

'' ... one side screams dare, the other screams no dare, & school house war porn is always in the market share, see now i helped ''em too, but no screaming get well feed world, no screaming free food & medicine forever, no one singing just screaming, mostly it''s naked men what get hit, always by dressed girls with badges that swear most folk most time dance get well feed world songs rallyed around hundreds millions sick beds drifting tens millions spore bloom weed dragon trail fickle first aid lunch farm cottage studio trail crossing trail groups and yseedsberrys ... ''

'' ... four year olds make a living of small tips gardening green beans to snap in the kitchen,drawing maps, devouring oatmeal and oatmeal pies, chatting it up with animated alpha dragons, dancing with space folk dragons from other worlds found lurking in the brush along the trails, why not me ... ''

'' ... i''m no flicket in oblivion or unwilling unwitting victim of eternal hell or some one and only god that steps on the rest, i''m an eternal storyboard swimming drifting infinite oceans of eternal storyboards ... ''