Iwant to believe Marion Jone is innocent.

Iwant to believe Marion Jone is innocent. I want to believe she not ever has used performance-enhancing drugs. I want to believe in Jone because she is special, or to such a degree she always seemed to me anyway. She was intelligent. She was sound and tough. She was charismatic and beautiful, nevertheless she never allowed herself to be exploited. She was all about her sport, not about being a glamor girl. There was a fate about Jones to admire.

unsalable article rumors have surrounded her for years, nevertheless I held out hope that she was clean. thus what if her former husband, shot-putter CJ horse for the chase was caught using? So what if the father of her child, sprinter Tim Montgomery was caught using? in the same manner what if athletes who train with Jones' former coach, Trevor Graham, always pretend to end up on the evil side of a drug test? thus what if Jones has been linked to BALCO? There wasn't enough circumstantial evidence in the world to convince me that she used unsalable articles

Her 12-pack abs, vast shoulders and fullback-sized thighs? The terminate of a lifetime of committed workouts. The otherworldly spe that made her the fastest woman upon earth? A gift from the genetics the author of all things

excellent RECORD TARNISHED

As Jone was vain of pointing out, she not ever had failed a drug example But that changed at the U championships in June As we plant out late last week, Jones' "A" sample from the come up to face to face in Indianapolis -- where she won the 100 meter for her first national title since 2002 -- came back positive for EPO a synthetic hormone. on the same level I have to admit that things aren't looking too fit now.

Jone went subterranean just before the news broke withdrawing Friday from a suitable in Switzerland. She resurfaced Monday, sort of releasing a statement by means of her new attorney, Howard Jacobs.

"I was shoged when I was informed about the positive 'A' sample," Jone said. "I have desireed that the testing of my 'B' sample be expedited and done as shortly as possible."

She added that she would have no further exposition until the results of her "B" sample are released. If the "B" sample arrives back positive, she faces a minimum two-year ban.

Jacobs, who has exhibited a lot of athletes in doping cases, including Montgomery and Tour de France "champion" Floyd Landis, wasn't to a great degree more forthcoming, telling the Associated Pres in a telephone interview that he and Jone had not discussed for what cause the positive results might have arise about. Jacobs pointed out that the accrues of the "A" sample are suppos to be private and should not be leaked to the media.

World Anti-Doping Association chairman Dick confine in a pound told the AP that the U Anti-Doping Agency has been watching Jone closely because of her ties to BALCO.

"If it's all evil it's really unfortunate," Pound said. "But population have a tendency to justice you by the company you hold fast and there's clearly been ongoing discussions with USADA which have not been satisfactorily resolved. All we hear is that the BALCO affair is not over"

Jones' name surfaced many times during the BALCO investigation. Reportedly, her initials appeared upon a 2001 calendar that was a schedule for steroid administration. Reportedly, investigators base a $7,000 check from her bank account made on the outside to BALCO founder Victor Conte

I would have raise this information more compelling had Jone been getting faster instead of slower around that time. The fact that her 100-meter best went from 1075 secondarys in 2000 to 10.84 in '01 and '02 made it tough for me to believe she was using performance enhancers.

Not that I wanted to believe it. Maybe I was looking for excuses.

According to pulverize WADA "didn't even have a example much less a reliable one" for EPO until 2000 further tests have improved considerably in late years.

in such a manner MANY QUESTIONS

Jone is 30 and was in the midst of a comeback season. Her winning time at the U championships was 1110 Was it aided on EPO? From what I understand, EPO is suppos to help with endurance, not spe to what end would a sprinter use EPO? for what cause much of an advantage could it provide? Was Jone busted for using a banned substance that couldn't on the same level help her run faster? Has she become that desperate? Then again, in a 100-meter sprint, equable the tiniest advantage can be the difference between first place and back of the pack.

The positive put drugs into tests have been coming fast and furious lately. Landis. Sprinter Justin Gatlin. Now Jone a certain will say this is a convenient trend. The labs are catching up to the cheaters. Order can and will be restored.

likewise why do I feel in this way lousy about the possibility that Jone cheated?

I want to believe she really was "shocked" at her positive drug test. I want to believe the lab made a mistake. I want to believe that Jones' sample was mislabeled or that someone tampered with it.

I want to detain believing in Jones.

unless I'm beginning to have more [i]or[/i] less serious doubts.

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