Fight Against Doping -- Jones Prison Term Ends

9/5/2008

Marion Jones Goes Home

Marion Jones is expected to be released Sept. 5 from federal prison, completing a six month sentence for lying to investigators about drug use and her involvement in a check fraud scheme.

Jones, 32, spent the final weeks of her sentence at a minimum security facility in San Antonio, Texas.

Jones, who won five medals at the Sydney Olympics, surrendered them to the IOC late last year after she pleaded guilty to the federal charges. Her place in the Sydney records has been struck by the IOC.

Despite admitting to drug use during the Sydney Olympics, Jones apparently passed more than 160 drug tests in her career.

Jones lives in Texas with her two sons and husband Obadele Thompson, a Barbados sprinter who won a bronze medal in Sydney.

Although out of prison, Jones is still required to perform 400 hours of community service as part of her sentence.

IOC Investigates Belarusian Hammer Throw Medalists

The IOC is launching an investigation into the doping offenses of two hammer throwers from Belarus who tested positive for testosterone.

Silver medalist Vadim Devyatovskiy and bronze medalist Ivan Tsikhan tested positive for traces of testosterone after the hammer final on Aug 17.

An IOC spokeswoman said a disciplinary commission will meet at the end of the month to review the case. If the two are found guilty, they will be stripped of their medals.

Tsikhan earned silver in Athens and is a three time world champion. Devyatovski was banned from competition from 2000-2002 for failing a drug test and faces a lifetime ban if found guilty.

Heptathlete Banned for Life

Ukranian silver medalist in the heptathlon Lyudmila Blonska was banned for life by the Ukrainian Athletics Federation after the 30-year-old athlete failed her second drug test in five years.

Blonska tested positive for the steroid methyltestosterone during the Beijing Olympics. Blonska claims her coach forced her to take the substance.

When the test result was announced, Blonska had her medal revoked and was booted from the Games. The IOC has asked the IAAF to adjust the results of the event.

U.S. athlete Hyleas Fountain is now in line to receive the silver, with Russia's Tatiana Chernova moving from fourth to bronze.

Two Jamaican Athletes Received Drug Shipment

Sports Illustrated is reporting that two members of the Jamaican athletics team received a shipment of performance enhancing drugs.

SI obtained shipping documents regarding Delloreen Ennis-London, who finished fifth in the 100-meter hurdles in Beijing.

The documents revealed she received two shipments of HGH and one shipment of estrogen at a U.S. address between 2006 and 2007. SI says the drugs were shipped to one "Delloreen London" from an Internet distribution company, and the date of birth matched Ennis-London’s. However, the shipment was for a male.

Her husband claims that Ennis-London received the drugs for medical reasons but did not open the package.

Fellow hurdler Adrian Findlay, an alternate on the 2008 Olympic team, received a shipment of steroids at a North Carolina address that is linked to him. Findlay claims innocence.

Jamaica won 11 medals in athletics and allegations of doping have surrounded their star athlete, Usain Bolt, who set three world records.

IOC Sues Greek Coach

The IOC is suing a Greek athletics coach after two of his pupils were kicked out of the Olympics for failing drug tests.

George Panagiotopoulos coached Fani Halkia and Tassos Gousis. Both tested positive for steroids during the Games.

Alexandros Lykourezos, a lawyer representing the IOC, said the IOC hopes to prosecute the coach in Greece.

The two runners deny any wrongdoing.

Written by Ed Hula III.

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