Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon
Disgraced Olympian admits lying to feds probing steroid ring
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Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon
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Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon -
Marion Jones: Liar, Cheat, Felon
OCTOBER 5--After years of vehemently denying that she took steroids, Marion Jones today admitted that she is a liar, cheat, and felon. The disgraced track and field star pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators probing the distribution of illegal performance-enhancing drugs by the notorious Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operarive (BALCO). Jones, 31, also copped to lying to agents investigating a separate fraud case. A copy of the criminal information filed today against Jones in U.S. District Court in White Plains, New York can be found here. In advance of today's plea, Jones sent friends and family a letter acknowledging her use of 'the clear,' a BALCO designer steroid. In that note, which was disclosed yesterday by The Washington Post, Jones said she took steroids for two years, beginning before the 2000 Olympics (during which she won five medals, three of them gold). While apologizing for her actions, Jones claimed that her former coach, Trevor Graham, gave her 'the clear,' and claimed that it was flaxseed oil. Jones now claims that 'red flags' should have been raised when Graham told her no to tell anyone about her use of the purported flaxseed oil. In her 2004 autobiography, Jones unequivocally denied--in large red type, no less--ever using performance-enhancing drugs. As seen below, on page 166 of 'Marion Jones: Life in the Fast Lane,' Jones claimed, 'I have never taken them and I never will take them.' According to federal guidelines, Jones faces up to six months in prison when she is sentenced on January 11. (9 pages)
