byLarry EderHere are just the facts; The greatest athlete of her generation, Marion Jones, for a number of reasons, made the decision to take performance enhancing drugs. It is my belief that she would have won the same medals without those drugs. She lied about taking drugs, to the media, to her fans, to the world for seven years. When caught, she spent six months in jail, a light sentence.
Now that she is out, we get the strange pleasure of seeing her on TV, on Oprah, saying she did not know what she was taking. That is the equivalent of someone saying ” I was just following my orders.” If you put it down your gullet, or inject same product, most humans know what they are putting in themselves.
If she would have been honest, saying ” I did it to make sure I won, I was insecure, I was afraid”, she would have been believed. Now, she is trying to fix her reputation-that is long, long gone.
Telling personal and intimate details on a TV talk show is the new memoir. It is also like watching a train wreck–people are drawn to it. But, Ms. Jones, do us a favor and please, please do not write a book about your experiences in jail.
EME NEWS (OCT 30, 2008)
Goucher tipped for sensational debut
NEW YORK (USA): US runner Kara Goucher is tipped to make a sensational marathon debut in New York on Sunday as she did over half the distance when beating Paula Radcliffe in last year’s Bupa Great North Run. Goucher just over 12 months ago scored an exceptional victory in the GNR when running the fastest-ever time by an American she took the scalp of the world marathon record holder. Now the 30-year-old born world 10 000 metres bronze medallist from Osaka and born in the Queens borough of the Big Apple, will be aiming to make an equally impressive start to her marathon career. Goucher coached by marathon legend Alberto Salazar, admitted: “I know tackling the marathon is sort of a tall order, but I put all my faith in Alberto,” she said as David Martin informs. Fastest US female marathon debut is the 2:26:58 by Deena Kastor in New York in 2001.
Good news from the show
NEW YORK (USA): Good news from Oprah Winfrey interview with Marion Jones is that she is not planning to return to track. The bad when she says she never knew she is taking banned substances. As many replies and blogs around the world are saying, who would buy that?
Nearly full relay not to compete indoors
MOSCOW (RUS): Three Russian top athletes announced they will not compete during the coming indoor season. As All-Sport informed, all are Olympic 4×100 m winners from Beijing – Yulia Gushchina, Yulia Chermoshanskaya and Aleksandra Fedoriva. Only the last relay member who is also a 60 m specialist (European Indoor 2007 medalist) Yevgeniya Polyakova will be running in winter next year.
Turova retiring
MINSK (BLR): Three top Belarus athletes informed about their retirement. First is discus thrower Vasiliy Kaptyukh (41) who was Olympic finalist in 2000 and 2004 and bronze medal winner from World Championships 1995 and 2003. Also former 3000 m steeple world record holder and European Champion 2006 Alesya Turova (28) and High Jumper Gennadiy Moroz (30, 233 PB) who was bronze holder from World Indoors 2003 and European Junior Champion 1997.
Company gave the shares to FFA
PARIS (FRA): The company GDF Suez, the leading sponsor of the Paris/Saint-Denis Golden League meet has transfered its shares of the event to the French federation, which is now the owner of the meet. GDF Suez held 57% of the company’s shares.The French federation is currently looking for new sponsors for the meet and hope to get to an agreement mid-November, AFP informs. The meet as fourth in the Golden League 2009 is planned for July 17.
OTHER NEWS
BELGRADE (SRB): Organisers of next year’s World University Games in Belgrade have dropped six sports to help save costs. Canoeing, rowing, karate, shooting, wrestling and handball have all been removed from the programme, which now consists of the event’s compulsory sports, athletics basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, judo, gymnastics, diving, swimming and water polo along with taekwondo and archery. Informs insidethegames.com. The International University Sports Federation (FISU), who organise the event, were hoping to celebrate its 60th anniversary in Belgrade with the largest Universiade in its history. However its Executive Committee have decided that due to this global financial turmoil they needed to make cuts in the event which is due to be held between July 1 and 12, 2009.
ISTANBUL (TUR): Private companies are taking the Olympic TV rights. Rupert Murdoch´s media empire has bought the Turkish rights to broadcast the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2016 Summer Games. Other Murdoch´s company Sky Italia already has the rights for Winter Games 2010. The deal with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requires Fox Turkey, part of the Fox entertainment network owned by Murdoch, to provide coverage on free-to-air television, pay channels, and through the Internet and mobile phones.
It is the first time a private television channel has been awarded Olympic broadcast rights in Turkey. Previously, the state-run channel TRT has been the Olympic network and they will show the 2012 Olympics in London. Informs insidethegames.com.
BEIJING (CHN): World 110 metres hurdles champion and 2004 Olympic winner Liu Xiang needs psychological help to deal with the memory of his dramatic exit from the Beijing Olympics. “Liu Xiang’s problem is not only the Achilles heel but also the shadow over his mind,” China’s head athletics coach Feng Shuyong told the China Youth Daily. The former world record holder was scheduled to depart for the United States on Wednesday to consult with doctors over the injury that robbed him of the chance to defend his Olympic title in Beijing. Liu told the Titan Sports paper that he would be taking two “transformer” toys with him as a gift for Chinese NBA All-Star Yao Ming, who had arranged a doctor to look at the injury in Houston.
BERN (SWI): 19 year old Swiss pole vaulter, Anna Katharina Schmid, 3rd of the 2007 European junior championships, has decided to put an end to her career after a year marred by injuries and illnesses. A former international gymnast, she had a PB of 430.
KINGSTON (JAM): Olympic winners Melaine Walker’s wish to run the 100m hurdles next season will remain just that. As The Star informs, her coach Stephen Francis, said she will not tackle that event any time soon. Her main event is of course 400 m Hurdles with 52.64 olympic win best. “It would be a commercial folly for Melaine to even think at the moment to switch from the event in which she is the Olympic-gold medallist,” added Francis. Walker´s PB at 100 m Hurdles is 12.75 from 2006.
MONTE CARLO: IAAF informed about the doping case of 31-years old Australian sprinter Nathan Allen with 10.46 best from 2005. He was banned for two years until March 18, 2010. Interesting is that his case is non-analytical what means he was not tested positive. The reasons are “attempted use of a prohibited substance and possession of prohibited substance.” In both cases it was Testosterone. It was discovered due to cooperation between the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and the Australian Customs Service and Victorian Police.
NURNBERG (GER): The German City of Nurnberg should bid for European Championships 2012 or 2014. At political level this decision was made and is now moving to the city government. Nurnberg staged this July succesfull National Championships and offers one of the few big stadiums where football and athletics can live together. Also Munich could be interested. In 2012 for first time the new European Championships should be held (smaller format, shorter programme, without marathon and walking events).
STOCKHOLM (SWE): The same stress fracture as in the case of hurdles European Champion Susanna Kallur is now bothering also the Multi-events queen Carolina Kluft. The Olympic and world winner who competed this year only in long jump and triple jump confirmed that for Swedish TV. She knew about it already in summer but did not take it too serious and was able to solve with pain and ice. The healing process is fast enough to hope to compete in winter. But as she says, only in Long Jump.
WINDHOEK/BRATISLAVA (NAM/SVK): Former athletes are aiming for presidential posts. 1993 200 m world champion Frankie Fredericks will challenge the national federation president post on November 22. Current boss Alpha Kanguechi will also stand. In Slovakia former world-class middle distance runner Jozef Plachy (1:45.4 in 1969) wants to become the national federation leader. The elections will be held on Nov 15 and also current chief Maria Mracnova (former high jumper, 4th at Montreal Games 1976) wants to continue (she was first time elected in 1998). Other 2-3 candidates are expected here.
PARIS (FRA): 2007 50 km walk world silver medallist and 2006 European champion Yohann Diniz is looking for a new coach after parting ways with Denis Langlois, his coach for five years and himself a former walker. Diniz, who withdrew at mid-race in Beijing, wants a fresh start to prepare for the 2012 Olympics. His main objectives for next season will be the 20km of the Race Walking European Cup in Metz next May and the World Championships in Berlin, where he plans to compete both on the 20km and 50km.
COTONOU (BEN): Following the suspension of Benin’s federation early October by the national Sports Minister, the IAAF has stepped in on October 23 to reassert the principle of non-interference by governments in the federation’s internal affairs. The decision to disband the executive board of the federation and replace it by a temporary committee doesn’t respect the IAAF rules, as the world body calls the general elective assembly set up process to be carried on. The federation has been led since 1997 by Théophile Montcho, who was himself sports minister from 2006 to 2008.
NEW YORK (USA): To get members of the media better acquainted with the more than 39,000 runners expected at the ING New York City Marathon 2008, the organizers send in a release the ranking of most common first names among women. Jennifer leads with 232 ahead of Elizabeth (148), Karen (145), Sarah (142) and Susan (140).
PROVO (USA): Masters community informs about the death of Zbigniew “Bishop” Dolegiewicz, a two-time Canadian Olympian in throws and former national record holder at the age of 55. He has been in poor health the past few years suffering from cardio and circulation problems. As Athletics Canada informs, his impressive career included 13 medals at the Canadian Championships, including three in the discus throw. Even more impressive he won 10 medals in the shot put at nationals over a span of 12 years from 1972 to 1983. His best finish at the Olympics was 11th at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles. It was Canada’s best finish ever in the shot put at the Olympic Games until Dylan Armstrong finished 4th this year in Beijing. His other accomplishments included Gold medals at the Pan American Games in 1975 and 1979; Silver at the Commonwealth Games in 1978 and 1982; was a National Collegiate Record Holder in Power Lifting. At Olympics 1976 in Montreal he competed in discus (no mark in qualification).
ADDIS ABABA (ETH): A former marathon champion was one of 19 people who died in road accident in Ethiopia, police said on Wednesday and agencies are informing. It is Turbo Tumo (38) who recorded a PB of 2:09:00 at Lake Biwa Marathon in 1997. He did not finish the Olympic marathon 1996 in Atlanta, but otherwise had a great year then with winning Houston and Amsterdam and beeing second in New York.
RESULTS
CANBERRA (AUS, Oct 25): Australian season is slowly moving and fast 100 m was recorded by 21-years Brandan Galic with 10.37 (+2.1).
Used with permission of Alfons Juck.
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