Six-month jail sentence for Jones

from www.bbc.co.uk:

American Olympian Marion Jones has been sentenced to six months in prison for lying about steroid use and involvement in a drugs fraud case.

The former sprinter pleaded guilty last October and was sentenced on Friday.

Jones had asked US District Judge Kenneth Karas to be "as merciful as a human being can be".

But the judge imposed the maximum under her plea deal "because of the need for general deterrence and the need to promote respect for the law".
Lawyers for the defence had asked Judge Karas to limit sentencing the former sprinter to probation or house arrest.

Having already apologised, retired and given up her five Olympic medals, Jones has been punished enough, they argued.

Jones herself asked the judge to consider her commitment to her family, including an infant son she is still nursing.

Lawyers for the prosecution had suggested any sentence between probation and six months would be fair.

Judge Karas had sought advice as to whether he could go beyond the six-month maximum sentence suggested in the plea deal.

Once arguably the most famous female athlete in the world, Jones won gold in the 100m 200m and 4x400m relay as well as bronzes in the long jump and 4x100m relay, at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

While her charisma and big smile won her a global fan base, her success on the track coupled with photogenic looks won her lucrative endorsements.

But she suffered a spectacular fall from glory last October, admitting lying to a federal investigator in November 2003 when she denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

She admitted using a steroid between September 2000 and July 2001.

Jones, now 32, also pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators in 2003 about a separate cheque fraud case involving her former boyfriend, sprinter Tim Montgomery, the father of her son, Monty.

Montgomery and several others have been convicted in that scam.

Released in October pending sentencing, Jones made a tearful public apology for her actions outside court.

"I have been dishonest, and you have the right to be angry with me. I have let [my family] down. I have let my country down, and I have let myself down," she said.

Jones, who returned her medals even before the International Olympic Committee ordered her to do so, has since had her name expunged from the record books.

Hers was one of a number of high-profile doping cases involving top American athletes that have prompted the US Olympic Committee to team up with Major League Baseball and the National Football League with a new initiative aimed at combating drug use in US sport.

Have fun in jail, cheater. Sucks that she's the only one who's going to be busted for using steroids. Tell me that there's not another country cheating.

-HECK!

How come I get drug tested at work every few months, but these big money sports stars don't get tested for steroids?

I'm naive, I thought they had drug testing. How did she beat it?

I don't exactly how she beat it but some athletes have used masking agents that can cover up steroid use.

Yeah, I'm sure theres some way around it.

But it does suck she's the only one doing time.