Marion Jones

So she is a cheat! No surprise in this. She has now admitted it. Won't say 'good on her', because she is a cheat. Now her 100m medal will go to another drug cheat (Katerina Thanou) who has also tested positve. 2 of the other woman in her 4x100m relay are also drug cheats (Chryste Gaines and Torri Edwards). Should they all lose their medals. Absolutely! She should be banned for life and lose every medal she have ever won and all who won relays with her should lose their medals.

What is amazing is that she has professed her innocence and even passed a lie detector test in the past! Apparently she has passed 170 test! So the testing sux! So you can beat a lie detector!

Now I have three daughters who run, one of whom is on the verge of the World Junior Champs in Poland next year. I wonder whether she has a chance as the sport develops! Can she ever know whether the others are clean? There are other problems at these junior events, people lie about their age. So she as a 15 year old may race 23 year olds!

Our family are believers in God and ethics, so (I hope at least) none of them will cheat in this way. The problem is as the Marion Jones saga points out, is that not all have the same values. They may never make it because of this cheating!

I think it is time for compulsory blood samples for all athletes 6 times a year, at their check in at every world ranked event and immediately after the final. These samples should be kept and rechecked every two years as technology develops. The athletes found to be 'on the juice' with performance enhancing drugs or enhancements of any sort, are to be banned for life.

It makes me wonder about an athlete like Nick Willis. He is a strong Christian and opposed to drugs. Perhaps he is the best in the world but the only one not of the juice. Maybe Kimberley Smith is the best middle distance runner in the world too? Results may mean little! Why would anyone run anymore?