Another call for Marion Jones to tell all

BEIJING -- The president of the international track federation feels the same way about Marion Jones as the judge who sentenced her to six months in prison.

Lamine Diack wants Jones to 'fess up.

In a 20-minute explanation of why he gave the maximum sentence prosecutors recommended last fall, federal judge Kenneth Karas suggested he had doubts about whether Jones had revealed the extent of her doping.

Wednesday, speaking with a small group of U.S. media, Diack said one of the things defrocked Olympic champion Jones should do after she is released from prison is go to USA Track & Field's annual convention and tell everyone the full story.

Jones has lost her three gold and two bronze medals from the Sydney Olympics after she pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators about doping and about her role in a money-laundering scheme.  She admitted to drug use only in part of 1999 and 2000.

"She has to tell the athletes committee what happened and why,'' Diack said. "She has to explain.  I'm not going to say she was a liar and so on and so on.''

Sorry, Mr. Diack, I wouldn't wait for that. 

If Jones does tell the story, it likely will be in a tearful sequel to the interview she gave Oprah Winfrey last year.

And if she tells the whole truth, it will finally end eight years of deceit.

-- Philip Hersh

Photo: U.S. sprinter Marion Jones no longer has the three gold and two bronze medals she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Credit: Adam Butler / Associated Press

Comments

[D Lee]

Leave her along some people act like she is the only one ever to do this if you prosicuted all who used steriods in sports you would be filling up the jails. Other countries are guilty as well. She just got caught. Jealous that all it is.............

[Sonya]

Marion Jones is sitting in jail for the fraud she willfully comitted. Good for the justice system and the United States' crredibility in sports.

I am troubled that she is now the poster child for doping violations. Fellow drug cheats get an article or two in the paper and then serve their bans in private....and then return to track.

Do we really need to beat Marion down anymore? She's finished in track, disgraced, a convicted felon and broke. Let's move on from this dead horse.

[Andrew]

Leave her along is right. I feel sorry for her. 99.9% of top athletes use steroids, that is a fact and anyone who thinks otherwise is either super naive or just plain ignorant. What shocking is how they get caught.

[Monica Richardson]

Yes, Ms. Jones has admitted to her crime, she is currently serving time for this crime. Leave her alone!!!!!!!!!!!! Ms. Jones, I know that your back is against a wall right now, but this is not the end. Hopefully, you are thinking positively about what will happen when you return. There will always be "Haters" in this world. I had the opportunity to rewad your book and have loved you since. If God can forgive you, so can I. Don't look back, keep looking foward. Your financial status may be broke (as they say), but keep your spirits high. I will be praying for you and your future success in whichever arena you chose. God bless you My sister!!!

[Inez clark]

Marion Jones showed poor judgement in using performance enhancing drugs. I believed as I watched her run on many occassions that she was drug -free. Amidst the allegations of steriod usage, I prayed that she was drug free. I was disappointed but I still support her, I still am a fan of hers. She has been through enough. She has apologized to just about everyone for her actions. We all make mistakes and do things that we later regret as well as things that we won't admit to until we're caught. Marion is no different than anyone else other than being a popular athlete. Although she may have taken drugs to gain an edge on her competition-she didn't need the drugs to win. Folks seem to forget that as a high school junior during the 1992 Olympic trials, 16-year-old Jones finished fourth in the 200m and fifth in the 100m, and declined an offer to run on the 4x100m relay team. Marion Jones has true talent; she just exercised poor judgment. She's been through enough, she owes us nothing. I wish her all the best upon her release--take care Marion!!!

True Fan,
Inez Clark