This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Marion Jones owned the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney. A world-class sprinter and long jumper, she won five medals - three gold and two bronze - in track and field. Attractive, articulate, intelligent and talented, she was America's darling. And the world was her stage.
For nearly two decades, from a high school track in California to a college stadium in North Carolina to the starting blocks at international venues, Jones outjumped and outran them all. But in the end, she couldn't run from the truth.
Jones, 31, was faster than a speeding bullet because she was higher than a kite on anabolic steroids. Her name first surfaced in 2003, when she was linked to the company accused of supplying baseball's Barry Bonds with performance-enhancing drugs. Then, in 2006, she tested positive for steroids.
Through it all, Jones denied, denied, denied. And, as it turns out, she lied and lied and lied. To herself, her fans, her family, and federal investigators.
Facing federal charges for lying to investigators, Jones pleaded guilty. On Saturday, standing on the steps of a federal courthouse in New York City where she will be sentenced early next year, Jones admitted to using steroids both before and after the 2000 Olympics. "It's with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust," she said.
And with that admission, Marion Jones staggered across the finish line for the final time, announcing her retirement from track and field. In an instant, she went from champion to cheater; from the hall of fame to the hall of shame.
Sadly, her fall from grace is commonplace in sports today, as superstars try to maintain their edge and lesser athletes struggle to keep up with the Joneses. But this Jones can still redeem herself - not on the track, but in the game of life.
Marion Jones faces up to five years in prison for her crimes. But sending her to jail will yield little benefit to society.
Instead, she should be made to perform on a smaller stage, the kind found in high school auditoriums. By speaking to student athletes about the many dangers of steroids, she could save many lives while redeeming her own. Marion Jones needs to be sentenced to time in a front of a microphone.