Marion once again accused of doping
This is not a story we like to run, but as we’re all aware, the news is hardly ever all good. Tonight’s heartbreaker involves Marion Jones, the world’s greatest female athlete and perhaps the planet’s most famous Belizean. Not surprisingly, she is once again being accused of taking banned performance enhancing drugs. But while previous accusations have been made by a disgruntled ex-husband and second hand gossip mongers, the latest finger to point at Marion belongs to the man who claims he actually gave her the drugs. The following report comes courtesy of ABC News.
Martin Bashir, ABC News
“Victor Conte says that for years he supplied some of American Sports biggest names with a huge array of illegal Performance Enhancing Drugs. Working from his now notorious BALCO, the Bay Area Lab Co-Operative, near San Francisco.?
?In 1999, Victor Conte was sent to vile of a new drug by a chemist he knew. It contained a designer steroid that couldn?t be detected. They call it ?the clear? and he started giving it to some of his clients. Including says Conte, one of America?s most iconic sportswomen, Marion Jones, who was about to compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.”
?Are you saying that Marion Jones was a Drugs cheat??
Victor Conte
?Without a doubt.?
Martin Bushir
?What did you give her??
Victor Conte
“The substance called ?the clear?, EPO, growth hormone and insulin.”
Martin Bashir
?Conte says he supplied Jones with a variety of illegal drugs throughout the next year. He describes showing her how to inject herself with human growth hormone.?
Victor Conte
?After I instructed her how to use it and put the needle on, she did the injection with me sitting right there next to her.?
Martin Bashir
?Right in front of you??
Victor Conte
?Right in front of me.?
?Where did she inject herself??
Victor Conte
?In the leg.?
Martin Bashir
?Conte says because there were accurate tests for what he was using Marion Jones never failed a drug test. Jones refused to be interviewed. Her lawyers say Conte is simply not credible and insist that she has never taken Performance Enhancing Drugs and that she has passed a lie detector examination.?
Again, Marion Jones has consistently denied taking banned substances and has never tested positive for drugs. She was named Belize’s sports ambassador and conferred with the Order of Belize following her winning of three gold and two bronze medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
