Another Disgrace of Olympic Proportions

In 2000, Marion Jones adamantly denied the use of performance enhancing drugs after winning 5 medals during the Sydney Olympics and became America's darling. Seven years later, the woman sobbingly announces to reporters that she pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements to federal agents about her drug use. Her admission of drug use is yet another red mark on the Olympics. With the 2008 Beijing Games fast approaching, what can the World Anti-Doping Agency do to catch all the cheaters who are currently preparing to compete next year? In all likelihood, most cheaters will continue to get away with it regardless of what the agency may claim because the people "designing" the steroids and human growth hormones are typically 2 steps ahead of authorities.

Even with the tearful confession, I can't feel sorry for Marion nor should you. I have a hard time believing she had absolutely no knowledge of what was being given to her. Like Barry Bonds, she's claiming the flaxseed oil defense. You have to be a complete moron not to suspect something was up. Doping is a science and the cocktail of drugs are taken in a regimented way. To say that she was tricked into thinking she was taking flaxseed oil just doesn't fly because there's no way that the people supplying and administering the drugs would've given Marion just one drug.

With her confession also comes word of her retirement. I would really like to know the US Olympic Committee's official stance on her confession and what kind of ban, if any, will be put in place (even though she retired). Very few countries are as strict as Canada when it comes to the use of performance enhancing drugs among athletes. There's no better example than Ben Johnson's lifetime ban from competing under the Canadian flag. All countries should adopt this policy. Unfortunately, most nations care more about medal count and bragging rights.