• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Erasing Seven Years of One’s Life-Marion Jones Gets Her Due

Larry EderbyLarry Eder
November 24, 2007
0
0 0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

On Friday, November 23, 2007, the IAAF announced their deliberations regarding Marion Jones. I have included the complete decision, in english and french, in a link at the end of my blog today….


Erasing Seven Years of One’s Life-Marion Jones Gets Her Due
As one grows up, many parents try to instill into their children that there are repercussions for their actions. This should be a universal lesson, but alas, it is not. Also, some parents are successful in teaching their kids right from wrong, and at the very least, that the shame of doing something wrong might stop someone from doing something stupid.
Marion Jones chose, for her own reasons, and like many other athletes, to cheat in the sport that she loved and she made her living in. She did this for a myriad of reasons, some clear, some not so clear. Somewhere in the mix, she must have heard a) everyone uses them and b) you can not achieve your goals without using them. She was also given this series of defenses of drug use by someone in a position of power, most notably, a coach, or trainer.
Now, do not get me wrong. Marion Jones is not a victim here. She used the drug protocols, she knew what she was doing, and she must pay the price. However, part of the lie is that everyone is using drugs. Most athletes can not afford the drugs that can beat WADA or USADA drug protocols. Out-of-competition drug testing, and blood testing that notes changes in the blood chemistry should be the way rigorous drug testing is pursued. Draconian punishments, doing something akin to a public scourging, for both athlete and coach, should also be in order. The effect that Marion Jones’ downfall will play should not be underestimated.
The IAAF announced on Friday afternoon, that Marion Jones had lost all records and results achieved between Septemeber 1, 2000 and present. That means she looses her five Olympic medals, three gold, two bronze, her World championship medals go away and, in its most controversal move, taking aways medals of the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 meter relays. This last case, the IAAF is recommending that the IOC take the medals back from her teammates in the 4 x 100 meters and 4 x 400 meters in Sydney.
My thoughts on this are that the other athletes did not get popped for drugs, why should they pay, but then, the only way to show that enforcement is serious is to take away the medals. I am not completely sold on taking away medals of the other athletes on the relay teams.
Is this Draconian? Yes, the message is that when, and if the elite athlete is caught, then the effects on their career is permanent. Cheating has its consequences. This is no different than a passion play in a village festival in the middle ages. The results today are that a sobbing Marion Jones is shown on 550 television stations, once an hour for few days and she will make every top ten bad moments list in sports. It is the theatre of shame.
The prepondarence of evidence suggests that drug use is prevalent at the highest level of our sport, and that the global and US drug agencies are woefully underfunded. New technologies arise and old methods return: there is the suggestion that the old form of blood doping, freezing one’s old blood and months later reinfusing it, is back. Drugs used for psychological disorders are now the rumoured drugs of choice for elite athletes.
On several stages over the past few years, including a series of well written and researched articles in the Financial Times, the suggestion of letting athletes use whatever drugs they want to use has been tested. I am totally against that. Either we have sports that celebrate good sportsmanship and and even playing field, or we are akin to Romans at a circus, watching the gladiators and lions.
The announcement last week that a company in Iceland can map your entire DNA for 1000 US, and the ethical and unethical uses of that have come to light. In the not too distant future, will parents be able to order the brain of Einstein, the creativity of a Lucian Freud and the lungs of a Kenenisa Bekele? Something about that sounds wrong,
In an tribute to the American distance runner Mark Nenow turning 50, one well known writer said that in talking to Nenow about drugs in sport, it was obvious to him that Nenow had not even considered using drugs. Why? Sport was just not importnat. How refeshing. In its’ current context, perhaps all sport has become too important. Living a good and honest life, spending time with someone and raising a family seem to be way underrated.
In the end, I wish no ill will to Marion Jones. I hope that she finds a way to come to peace with her wrong doing, accepts it, and lives her second life, her non sports life, with good works and good thoughts. Perhaps she will take the path, as sprinter Lauryn Williams has suggested, of telling the world why she did it, how she did and become the poster child of why not to use performance enhancing drugs while competing would be a good outcome of this sad story.
A final comment. If one believes, whatever their religious values, that man and women have free will, have choices in their lives, this is an example of the roads that can be taken. Marion Jones could have gone down, in my mind, as the greatest women athlete of her generation, without the use of performance enhancing drugs. The problem was, Marion Jones did not believe in Marion Jones.
For the complete transcript from the IAAF:
http://www.american-trackandfield.com/news/iaafjonesrecordsNov07.html

RelatedPosts

Coffee With Larry, Goteborg 1995, My first World Champs, good media relationship, Peachtree Road Race, 60 % of Pre Classic tickets sold in one day!

Coffee With Larry, Happy 89th Birthday, Coach Bill Dellinger, 1964 Olympic bronze medalist at 5,000 meters! Rod Dixon on Zane Robertson, AP opines on World Athletes new rules on transgender athletes

Coffee With Larry, Spring marathon season is almost here, Eliud Kipchoge to Boston, Who is the world’s greatest athlete at the World Champs, 1983-2023?

Author

  • Larry Eder
    Larry Eder

    Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

    View all posts

Previous Post

To wear Ear Phones or not?

Next Post

Tyson Gay and Meseret Defar are World Athletes of the Year!

Larry Eder

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 50-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

Similar Post

Oregon 22 World Athletics Champs, Day 2: Gidey wins a dramatic women 10,000m final

As the outdoor season gets into full swing, the battle for the fastest man in the world this year gets tougher!

March 25, 2023
Aleia Hobbs sets AR at 60 meters, Sam Prakel doubles at 1,500m/3,000m, Joe Kovacs gets first indoor title, on Day 3 of the 2023 USATF Indoor Champs!

2023 RunBlogRun Spring Training for Middle Distances, 800 meters to 5,000 meters, Week 2, Day 6, a day at the races…

March 25, 2023
For Shoe Geeks, the Brooks Hyperion Max, great fast ride, great road shoe for the new age…
Reviews

For Shoe Geeks, the Brooks Hyperion Max, great fast ride, great road shoe for the new age…

March 25, 2023
For Shoe Geeks, the New Balance 1080 Fresh Foam, great ride, great cushioning
Running Shoes

For Shoe Geeks, the New Balance 1080 Fresh Foam, great ride, great cushioning

March 25, 2023
Raul Guideo Guidobaldi stadium (Rieti, Italy) to have new CONICA track in 2023!

Coffee With Larry, Goteborg 1995, My first World Champs, good media relationship, Peachtree Road Race, 60 % of Pre Classic tickets sold in one day!

March 25, 2023
Jesse Williams answers 7 questions from RunBlogRun on THE TEN (event sponsored by On running)

2023 RunBlogRun Spring Training for Middle Distances, Week Two, Day Five, and we take a recovery day

March 25, 2023

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

July 5, 2022
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

July 17, 2022
Oregon 22 World Athletics Champs: False Starts reconsidered

Oregon 22 World Athletics Champs: False Starts reconsidered

November 18, 2022

(RBR Archives) Coaching 101: Warm Up & Cool Down for the Jumps, by Roy Stevenson, note by Larry Eder

April 1, 2022
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

5
TCS New York City Marathon Broadcast to be Available in More Than 530 Million Homes Around the World on Sunday, November 6

RunblogRun Editorial: The Sorry State of Running Television Coverage, by Peter Abraham, note by Larry Eder

4
2022 Munich Diary, Day Five, a Great Friday Night

2023 European Athletics Indoor Champs, The Women’s 60m, who will win the final tonight?

4
Oregon 22 World Athletics Champs, Day 2: Gidey wins a dramatic women 10,000m final

As the outdoor season gets into full swing, the battle for the fastest man in the world this year gets tougher!

March 25, 2023
Aleia Hobbs sets AR at 60 meters, Sam Prakel doubles at 1,500m/3,000m, Joe Kovacs gets first indoor title, on Day 3 of the 2023 USATF Indoor Champs!

2023 RunBlogRun Spring Training for Middle Distances, 800 meters to 5,000 meters, Week 2, Day 6, a day at the races…

March 25, 2023
For Shoe Geeks, the Brooks Hyperion Max, great fast ride, great road shoe for the new age…

For Shoe Geeks, the Brooks Hyperion Max, great fast ride, great road shoe for the new age…

March 25, 2023
For Shoe Geeks, the New Balance 1080 Fresh Foam, great ride, great cushioning

For Shoe Geeks, the New Balance 1080 Fresh Foam, great ride, great cushioning

March 25, 2023

Popular Stories

  • USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

    Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Oregon 22 World Athletics Champs: False Starts reconsidered

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • (RBR Archives) Coaching 101: Warm Up & Cool Down for the Jumps, by Roy Stevenson, note by Larry Eder

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The curious case of Sha’Carri Richardson: How can the sprinter turn around her career?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Recent Tweets

RunBlogRun Follow

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. RunBlogRun is the voice of the sport.

RunBlogRun
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
15h

This is the review of the Brooks Hyperion Max training shoe for #ForShoeGeeks, by #RunBlogRun, https://bit.ly/3z2V84f , #brooksrunning, #hyperionmax, #runhappy, #tracklife, #trackandfield, #runningcommunity, #runningshoes, #runningshoereview,

Reply on Twitter 1639463192287133697 Retweet on Twitter 1639463192287133697 Like on Twitter 1639463192287133697 2 Twitter 1639463192287133697
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
15h

This is the review of the #NewBalance1080, #freshfoam, by #TheShoeGeeks,
https://bit.ly/3FPQPx4, #shoereviews, #runningnetwork, #runblogrun, #newbalance, #runningcommuninity, #runningshoes, #newbalancerunning,

Reply on Twitter 1639460305318334465 Retweet on Twitter 1639460305318334465 Like on Twitter 1639460305318334465 1 Twitter 1639460305318334465
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
16h

This is Coffee With Larry for Friday, March 24, 2023, https://bit.ly/3FRLWU6, #peachtreeroadrace, #adidasrunning, #worldchamps, #asicsrunning, #worldathletics,

Reply on Twitter 1639446531995758593 Retweet on Twitter 1639446531995758593 Like on Twitter 1639446531995758593 Twitter 1639446531995758593
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
17h

Today is a recovery day, and you will enjoy it! https://bit.ly/3TPEqyU , Workout for 2023 RunBlogRun Spring Training Week 2, Day 5, and we take a recovery day! #track, #trackandfield, #tracklife, #TheTEN, #soundrunning,

Reply on Twitter 1639439220019453952 Retweet on Twitter 1639439220019453952 Like on Twitter 1639439220019453952 Twitter 1639439220019453952
runblogrun RunBlogRun @runblogrun ·
17h

Noah Lyles was a busy guy in Vegas! @lylesnoah, @adidasrunning, @gamupdates, @LanceBrauman, @PUREathletic

RunBlogRun @RunBlogRun

Did interview @lylesnoah on Thursday! Watch for 2 interviews coming with Noah on #runblogrun! He was very busy during the @gamupdates medai/business conference, with a 12 plus interviews, 4 podcasts, training, @adidasrunning, #kevinmorris, #gucci, @pureathletic, @lancebrauman

Reply on Twitter 1639434289396719616 Retweet on Twitter 1639434289396719616 Like on Twitter 1639434289396719616 Twitter 1639434289396719616
Load More...
Next Post

Tyson Gay and Meseret Defar are World Athletes of the Year!

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist