Marion Jones has been linked to performance-drugs since the BALCO scandal in 2003, and she has recently tested positive for EPO at the USA National Championships in Indianapolis.
Marion Jones has been the poster child of athletes that have been quote “linked” to performance enhancing drugs but said that they never tested positive for any of them. Marion really had a black cloud surrounding her ever since the BALCO scandal– her image and reputation were never the same. She was once the golden image of track and field– and her image now is quite the opposite. I personally thought that Marion would never get caught– until now. Marion Jones had failed a drug test in June at the USA National Championships in Indianapolis on June 23rd. Jones is now the third American athlete that has failed a drug test this summer– so the question is– is this the “Summer of Catching those taking Drugs?” I guess we have to see what happens.
This is the second case where an athlete was able to compete at other meets even after they failed a drug test– Justin Gatlin was able to compete at other meets even though he tested positive for testosterone. Marion’s coach, Steve Riddick, even confirmed the EPO finding, but he said in the article that he questions the validity of the test.
With clients, there are just some things that public relations practitioners just can’t do. We can provide counsel and give the best advise on what strategies to take, but there are just some clients where all of the tactics and advise just won’t help. I would advise that Jones just retire and get out of track and field– and have a statement telling everyone everything– I think that there are many people that would like an explaination from her.
Marion Jones should have retired right after the 2000 Olympics– she would have avoided the BALCO scandal and now this. Jones was being marketed as making this huge “comeback”– but it all seems like the same old story– the prize of winning is what these type of athletes think about and will do everything, including cheating by using drugs, to get the prize. These athletes and those coaches that support this behavior need to be banned from the sport for life.
But one thing we all need to think about– sure, there are the Justin Gatlins and Marion Jones out there that get caught with a positive tests– but the real issue is that there are more athletes out there doing the exact same thing– only some get caught, and some get to keep competing and taking performance enhancing drugs. There needs to be a stricter “zero-tolerance” rule for athletes and coaches.
2 Comments
kristyk · August 21, 2006 at 8:36 am
My daughter [15] started running about four months ago. She loves the sport and has done much better than we expected. In fact, she went to the Junior Olympics and placed 9th in the 3000m. I was at the store this weekend and saw a book about Marion Jones. It had tons of great track pictures, so I bought it for my daughter, thinking she would get inspired by the stories of how Marion competed in school, etc. When I walked in the door, the first thing my husband said was that he saw her positive drug test on the news. We had to sit my daughter down and explain it to her. How sad! These athletes are supposed to be role models. My daughter’s response? If she is cheating, how much can any medal really mean?
I agree with the zero-tolerance idea. More athletes should be tested and the consequences be strict and enforced. It isn’t fair to the athletes doing things the right way to have to compete against those who aren’t.
hero bear · August 21, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Well, in spite of what the ‘spin doctors’ have spoon fed us, it seems that Ms. Jones may not be as clean as she has pretended to be. One can only wonder if she ever was clean?
Her ‘governing body’ , the USATF, has a lot of explaining to do. Wasn’t this the ‘new generation’ of clean athletes? In my opinion, the biggest problem seems to be that they probably don’t have their own house in order. I wonder how many people they have connected to them from the old days of the 1980’s and early 1990’s?
Maybe it’s time for a new organization to take USATF’s place.