Marion Jones, winner of five medals during the duration of the 2000 summer Olympics, located in Sydney, Australia, has returned her medals to the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S Anti-Doping Agency officials. This consists of 3 gold medals and 2 bronze medals. Jones, who has always denied using performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids, has finally admitted to using such items. Jones gave back the five medals, and then further agreed to forfeit any race she participated in since September 1, 2000. Jones was the winner of the Gold medal in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and the 1,600 meter relay, as well as the Bronze medal winner in the 400 relay and the long jump. If the IOC (International Olympic Committee) decides to vacate her results from the Sydney Olympics, then her relay teammates could lose their medals as well. The USOC's (United States Olympic Committee) CEO and Chairman both said the would support the IOC in nullifying the relay results, encouraging the other Americans to give back their medals. Jearl Miles-Clark, Monique Hennagan, Tasha Colander-Richardson, and Andrea Anderson, as well as Jones, all won Gold medals as part of the 1,600 meter relay. Christy Gaines, Torri Edwards, Nanceen Perry, and Passion Richardson, and Jones all won Bronze medals as part of the 400 meter relay.
Now what's interesting about the USOC wanting the athletes to give their medals back NOW, is that two of the other women from the 400 meter relay, Christy Gaines and Torri Edwards, have BOTH served doing bans since the Sydney Olympics. So why would the USOC take away the athletes medals now that Marion Jones confessed to using banned doping substances? Is it just because Jones is more well known as being a user of doping substances? Why wouldn't they have taken away the athletes' medals after one of the other two failed their tests and served their bans?
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