Marion Jones: Steroid User

The latest from the Washington Post is that Olympic track star Marion Jones has admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.

Track star Marion Jones has acknowledged using steroids as she prepared for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and is scheduled to plead guilty today in New York to two counts of lying to federal agents about her drug use and an unrelated financial matter, according to a letter Jones sent to close family and friends.

This article makes for an interesting continuation to the recent entry regarding Geb's new marathon record. What kind of drugs could increase performance? Well, if you're a sprinter, steroids for starters.

MJ was one of those people who was "easy to root for". When allegations of drug use began swirling a few years back, it was something I hoped was untrue, but as in the case of distance runner Regina Jacobs, it appears my fears were justified. Only time will tell if that abuse will have any long term health consequences.

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...it was something I hoped was untrue

By now, I assume that accusations of drug use by world-class athletes are true. Based on the record, that assumption improves the odds of me being right ...

Distance running has been relatively free of drug scandals, but given the proven benefits of EPO for endurance athletes, I wonder how wide spread its use is among elite marathoners. I regard distance running as the purest sport there is and would hate to see it tarnished (a la Tour de France).