Marion Jones has been one of the few Track and Field Athletes with consistent national and international attention. Unfortunately, since the 2000 Olympics, most of the interest has been directed towards her once alleged, now proven illegal drug use and on October 5th of this year, Jones finally came forward and confessed to taking drugs since the late 90’s.
Normally this would mean a two year suspension. It is her first offense—although she was accused of drug test evasion as a high school athlete—and track and field is notoriously and sadly…accommodating to drug offenders. But it seems as though the high profile status and far reaching implications of Jones’ steroid use has finally forced the IAAF (the International Association of Athletics Federation) to up the ante.
On November 23, the Federation announced that all of Marion Jones results since September 2000 would be annulled, including her Olympic and World Championship titles. But most importantly, they are also going to force her to return an estimated $700,000 that she earned in prize money from that same time period. (The Washington Post, November 24, 2007).
Finally. For a long time, people have discussed how monetary punishment is the only consequence that might actually deter athletes from cheating, even though it is probably one of the main reasons they start in the first place.
Yes, stripping the athlete of medals (5 Olympic, 2 World) and records has sentimental power—but these are people who knowingly allow themselves to become the product of chemicals and science versus talent and hard work—so what sentiments could they possibly hold as dear as money?
I am not sure what has made the IAAF take this step, but Marion Jones was no normal athlete. She was the face of the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, the spokesman for Nike, a hero for little girls and growing athletes, and an international sensation. Oh, and she also made public appearances speaking against drug use in sports. Weird. Sort of like the Larry Craig of Track and Field.
After the 2000 Games, it became clear that Jones was not only indicated in steroid use, but that she was connected to the largest illegal drug company and conspiracy in the United States. But she continued to play innocent. Even though her first husband was suspended for drugs, her second husband suspended for drugs, her coach known for illegal activity, and her body, well. It wasn’t exactly natural-looking.
So I think the IAAF felt embarrassed by her continued presence, their inability to obtain a guilty test, and the public fall of Track and Field’s modern hero #1.
I only wish they could take away all her sponsorship deals, endorsements, and appearance fees. Luckily though, Jones dug her own grave in that regard when she filed for bankruptcy in 2006.
But with Bonds facing jail time and Jones being stripped of both her achievements and last penny (literally), the fight against performance enhancing drugs seems to finally be moving in the right direction. Since the tests for drugs seem to be falling farther and farther behind the technology of the cheaters, the least we can do is ensure tough consequences for the few proven guilty.