Marion Jones runs to Oprah
We're hearing about an apparence Marion Jones made this morning on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," talking on TV for the first time since the former Thousand Oaks track star was sentenced to six months of prison on perjury charges about steroid use.
The show airs today at 3 p.m. on Channel 7.
Oprah did press Jones to admit that she lied to investigators of the BALCO case.
"You knew at that time, you knew were lying, right?" Winfrey asked.
"I made a mistake," Jones said. "I made the choice, at that time, to protect myself, to protect my family. ... And now I've paid the consequences dearly."
Speaking from her home in Austin, Tex., Jones also said: "I want people to understand that, you know, everybody makes mistakes. ... I truly think that a person's character is determined by their admission of their mistakes and then beyond that, what do I do about it?" How can I change the lives of people? How can I use my story to change the life of a young person?"
Jones also said she hasn't told her 4-year-old son that she'll be going to prison soon. She has until March 11 to surrender to authorities.
Jones said she has given back her medals from the 2000 Games, but "they fail in comparison to seeing my husband cry. They fail in comparison to seeing my mother have to stand there in the courtroom and bawl. You know, those things to me are what mean the most."
Comments
What a sad turn of events. I saw Marion run in high school, and she clearly didn't need performance enhancers to be fast. She has taken accountability for her actions though...for a public figure to actually admit to lying is pretty major (although I'm certain that she was left with no other choice). I think she should write a book, because her fall-from-grace should serve as a warning to any elite athlete that integrity is still an imperative in life.
Posted by: brewnz | January 16, 2008 12:54 PM