Marion Jones was one of the most well know athletes at the turn of the century. A former WNBA player (2010), and world champion track and field star, she has set the bar for many aspiring female athletes.
Jones won an outstanding 5 medals at the Sydney summer games of 2000. But later forfeited all medals from 2000 to 2007, after pleading guilty to investigative charges of using illegal substances.
Marion Jones lied to the grand jury about abusing performance-enhancing drugs. This scandal wasn't the first though for Jones. As a UNC Chapel Hill student, she began dating her track coach, who later had to resign from the position, per UNC student/employee conduct policies. (Professors/coaches/administrators, etc. were not permitted to have relations with university students.) A year later, Jones and the coach, CJ Hunter were married.
Jones began preparing for the 2000 Olympics with head coach Trevor Graham, while her husband also trained for Olympic shot put competition. Closer to competition time, Hunter withdrew from the Olympic contest due to a knee injury, but stuck on as a coach and supporter of his wife. It was later revealed, Hunter failed 4(+) pre-competition screening tests for drug use. He was removed of all credentials to attend the Sydney games. Jones and Hunter divorced in 2002.
A year later, Jones missed out on the world championships due to pregnancy, with her then boyfriends child. He was also an Olympic sprinter, but did not qualify for the games and was sought out as a suspect in the BALCO doping scandal. Jones' former coach, Trevor Graham was also accused and tried in the same doping scandal investigations. Bringing Marion Jones' practices into question.
As early as high school athletics, Jones was in the hot seat for using performance enhancing drugs. Protesting her squeaky-clean image, and never a recorded failed drug test, she seemed to hold to her name. But, within the BALCO investigation, the laboratory founder admitted that he had personally supplied Jones with illicit drugs on numerous occasions, before, throughout the 2000 Olympics, and after for years.
However, the early testing for performance enhancing drugs, found no detectable drug usage by Marion Jones. It wasn't until a 2006 investigation, when Jones tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. However, after legal representation deemed her second testing negative, she was waived of these new allegations.
Just one year later, Jones finally came clean about her illegal drug use, and faced sentencing. Marion Jones held a press conference admitting her guilt in two court trials, to her coaches, teammates, fans, and the IOC. At the end of trial, Jones was given 6 months jail time, 200 hrs. community service and two years probation. The US Olympic Committee revoked all of her medals, and she was banned by the IOC.
This is one of many cases brought to light with the BALCO doping scandal. Another prominent name would be the great Barry Bonds. This type of scandal begs the question what is ethical practices in sport? How far should governing committees go to test athletes, both professional or Olympic prior to, and during competition?
Marion Jones definitely tarnished her own glory, and it is hard to say she would have accomplished all of her feats without the aid of performance enhancing drugs.
Jones won an outstanding 5 medals at the Sydney summer games of 2000. But later forfeited all medals from 2000 to 2007, after pleading guilty to investigative charges of using illegal substances.
Marion Jones lied to the grand jury about abusing performance-enhancing drugs. This scandal wasn't the first though for Jones. As a UNC Chapel Hill student, she began dating her track coach, who later had to resign from the position, per UNC student/employee conduct policies. (Professors/coaches/administrators, etc. were not permitted to have relations with university students.) A year later, Jones and the coach, CJ Hunter were married.
Jones began preparing for the 2000 Olympics with head coach Trevor Graham, while her husband also trained for Olympic shot put competition. Closer to competition time, Hunter withdrew from the Olympic contest due to a knee injury, but stuck on as a coach and supporter of his wife. It was later revealed, Hunter failed 4(+) pre-competition screening tests for drug use. He was removed of all credentials to attend the Sydney games. Jones and Hunter divorced in 2002.
A year later, Jones missed out on the world championships due to pregnancy, with her then boyfriends child. He was also an Olympic sprinter, but did not qualify for the games and was sought out as a suspect in the BALCO doping scandal. Jones' former coach, Trevor Graham was also accused and tried in the same doping scandal investigations. Bringing Marion Jones' practices into question.
As early as high school athletics, Jones was in the hot seat for using performance enhancing drugs. Protesting her squeaky-clean image, and never a recorded failed drug test, she seemed to hold to her name. But, within the BALCO investigation, the laboratory founder admitted that he had personally supplied Jones with illicit drugs on numerous occasions, before, throughout the 2000 Olympics, and after for years.
However, the early testing for performance enhancing drugs, found no detectable drug usage by Marion Jones. It wasn't until a 2006 investigation, when Jones tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. However, after legal representation deemed her second testing negative, she was waived of these new allegations.
Just one year later, Jones finally came clean about her illegal drug use, and faced sentencing. Marion Jones held a press conference admitting her guilt in two court trials, to her coaches, teammates, fans, and the IOC. At the end of trial, Jones was given 6 months jail time, 200 hrs. community service and two years probation. The US Olympic Committee revoked all of her medals, and she was banned by the IOC.
This is one of many cases brought to light with the BALCO doping scandal. Another prominent name would be the great Barry Bonds. This type of scandal begs the question what is ethical practices in sport? How far should governing committees go to test athletes, both professional or Olympic prior to, and during competition?
Marion Jones definitely tarnished her own glory, and it is hard to say she would have accomplished all of her feats without the aid of performance enhancing drugs.
I am glad you brought up Marion Jones. We should have included her in our discussion of drug abuse. I will remember to do that next time!
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