Marion Jones tearful press conference and fall from grace

     Marion Jones is obviously a very shrewd young woman. Marion did not deny she was wrong and she begged the public’s forgiveness for her transgressions. The question is the public going to have sympathy for Jones given the fact she was so adamant in other press conferences of being innocent ?  Marion’s press conference yesterday felt sincere and honest. I don’t think she should go to jail she’s a young mother with two young children. And what would that accomplish anyway? I think Marion has already experienced  enough humiliation just by the fact the lie she hid for so many years has been shattered.

                According to the NY TIMES Marion Jones may have been involved in a bank fraud scheme and that’s the “real” reason she decided to come forward. The evidence against Marion was growing and she had no choice but to tell the truth.

            Marion Jones is such a smart young woman and even she has fallen  to the temptation of greed. It was greed that cost Marion Jones her track and field career. The USA society is a bit inconsistent with values. In America its all about winning at any means necessary. Let’s be honest, here Marion Jones may be the biggest USA star to be caught cheating but she won’t be the last. When is the American media going to turn up the heat on the USA Track and Field Association? And what about the USA Olympic committee? I mean handing out thousands of dollars for gold, silver, and bronze medalists should this program be continued? Maybe that’s also an incentive for athletes to cheat? In Canada, Canadian athletes get into sports for the love of the game there are very few financial rewards in Canada for athletes.

          However, I do think she should be stripped of all five medals she won at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney Australia. I do have some empathy for Marion at least she told the truth finally. I  felt so sad when she cried. I really do believe Marion knows what she did was wrong. However, rules are rules and she broke the rules.

         Also, what about Marion’s teammates in the 400 relay? The other American women on the team will be stripped of their medals as well. I am sure they aren’t thrilled about Marion Jones at the moment. The worst thing about Marion Jones fall from grace is that she waited seven long years to tell the truth. 

        I guess for Marion she now has a free conscience she can look herself in the mirror and know her mind is clear of any lingering doubts about coming clean.

              The USA Track and Field Association’s reputation world wide has been tarnished not just because of Jones but also because of their inconsistency to dealing with these kinds of scandals. I mean every few years somebody in the USA Track and Field gets caught. I think the worst part about this was the fact Marion was so adamant in the press for so long that the media was wrong and yet everyone knew the truth was going to come out sooner rather then later. For Marion Jones though she is hoping the truth will set her free. From what I have read this is long from over for Marion Jones.

Link to NY Times article  :http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/06/sports/othersports/06balco.html?em&ex=1191816000&en=8bc6fe5260e0f6a0&ei=5087%0A