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 Get a FREE trial Subscription to the TRACK PROFILE Report TODAY! [ include "TRACK PROFILE REPORT Trial Sub" on the subject line ] TRACK PROFILE REPORT #108 10-June-2004 TRANSCRIPT OF MARION JONES PRESS CONFERENCE IN OSTRAVA, CZE (07-June) (BERGEN, Norway) -- On Tuesday (08-June) the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) confirmed that it had sent letters notifying several track and field athletes that they are "alleged to have participated in a conspiracy to violate sport anti-doping rules," beginning its attempt to sanction athletes for drug violations based on evidence other than positive tests. "The sending of notice letters is the first step towards determining whether sport anti-doping rules have been violated," a statement released Tuesday by USADA read. "USADA will follow its process, on an expedited basis where necessary, and expects to have these potential violations resolved prior to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games." Tim Montgomery, the world record in the 100 meters; Michelle Collins, the 2003 world indoor champion; Alvin Harrison, the 2000 Olympic 400 silver medalist; and sprinter Chryste Gaines have been widely reported to have received notifications from USADA. All testified before a federal grand jury probing California's Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative. Marion Jones has reportedly not received notification from USADA, but was asked by the agency to follow-up on questions from a May 24 meeting. On Monday, Jones was the featured guest at a press conference in Ostrava, Czech Republic, prior to her appearance in the long jump at the Golden Spike Super Grand Prix meet, where she finished third with a leap of 6.65. Portions from the press conference have been reported in recent days; below is a transcript in full, with questions related to the BALCO case. Question: Does Jones Feel that her reputation has been tainted by the BALCO "Affair"? Marion Jones: I really don't think it's been tainted. That's why pretty much all the top meetings in the world, including this one in Ostrave, invited me to compete, minus the ones in Stockholm and Norway, which I refused to compete in a long time ago, and that's the reasoning for them making their disparaging comments. I've agreed to compete in the top meets in the world, and if my reputation's been tainted, they wouldn't necessarily want me compete in their meets. So overall, I think I've received a lot of support. I think in general the media and my fans think it's an unfair process what USADA is trying to do to a number of its athletes, and I'm going to fight it. My take on it all along has been, 'Drug Free, Always have been, Always will be.' It's just something that I'm dealing with. Question: Has the recent attention to the USADA case and BALCO investigation been a distraction for her, or placing pressure on her? MJ: Actually, the competing and the training allows me to get my mind off of what's going on, and actually it's been a lifesend. It's been wonderful for me to get away from it. I don't consider it a lot of pressure. I would think I would feel a lot of pressure if I thought I was wrong in challenging the case against me versus USADA. To me it's not a lot of pressure, I just go out there and I'm competing. When I'm in press conferences, I'm telling the truth, and I'm telling what I feel, and it's really not much pressure. Question: On the comments by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge, published in The Sunday Times of London, who stated that Jones, as a sporting megastar, could have been wiser about whom she's associated with. Rogge went a litle farther, saying it was "stupid" for associating herself and mixing with the people she's been mixing with. What's your reaction? MJ: Of course, I'm aware of the comments made by Mr. Rogge, and I think it's an extremely ignorant comment for him to make, not knowing the circumstances and not knowing the situation. If he had wanted to sit down and speak with with me and I could have explained to him the situation and the relationships. But for a man in his power position to make such an ignorant comment about a situation which he really knows little about --and the only people who really do know much of anything about it is USADA, myself and the government. So for him to make a comment like that is quite ignorant for a man in such a power position. Question: Do you categorically say that at no stage in the last four years have you done anything which you are remotely worried about? MJ: No, in my entire career, even beyond the four years, I'm totally one hundred percent confident. And I think that by saying by making whatever documents USADA had known publicly, by stating everthing that I talked about with USADA, I think that proves I have nothing to hide. And I openly requested --asked, begged-- USADA to retest any samples that they might have. As you know, I'm one of the most tested athletes in the world. There has to be a sample out there, and I openly said that if you find it, test it, and I promise you that it will a negative test. By saying that, I'm one hundred percent sure. I'm not concerned about anything that I've done in my career from the time I was six to right now, when I'm 28 years old. Question: Her thoughts on the comments by meet organizers in Bergen, Norway and Stockholm that they wouldn't invite her and Tim Montgomery to their meets until the end of this 'affair." MJ: I just commented about the meetings in Oslo [ed. note - This year the Bislett Games are in Bergen, not Oslo] and Stockholm. Oslo had approached me a number of times about attending their meet and I rejected a number of months ago. And so I think that the meeting director in Oslo was very upset that I turned down his meet, and so that's one of his reasonings for saying that he would not include myself or Tim on his start list. I think it's just a way for him to get back publicly at us for deciding not to compete in his meet. I've stated in the past that I think his meet is very unorganized, and I said a number of times that I would not go back there to compete unless he decides to pay for my son's Harvard education. So until that happens, I think that's one of the reasons that he's upset and one of the reasons that the Stockholm meeting director is also upset. But a number of the other meeting directors have approached me and said that I would be on their start lists, that there would be no problem. Obviously, I'm here in Ostrava, and I've agreed to do a number of other meetings in Europe and a few in the Golden League. [Here, Ostrava Meeting Director Tomas Petera, interjected a few comments, a summary of which was provided by a translator]: First, he was not contacted by the organizers of Oslo, and even if someone from Norway would have contacted him, and asked not to put Marion Jones on the start list in Ostrava, it would have no affect on his decisions because he is very happy having Marion here, and he cannot be affected by somebody else's opinions. Second, concerning the statement by Jacques Rogge, Mr. Petera hardly believes that someone in such a position would even speculate in this way. And he thinks that the comments attributed to Mr. Rogge may not even be his own words, or were perhaps mistakenly interpreted by the Sunday Times. And third, he would request that questions now focused on Marion's appearance here in Ostrava, because talking about the affair makes little sense here because we all know everything that has already been written and said about that, and he feels that Marion will not be saying anything new. Q: Some would say that we are judged by the company that we keep. Whether by bad luck or whatever, you've had a husband who was tested positive for drugs, you had an involvement with Charlie Francis. People outside can draw their own conclusions. [At this point, an official heading the press conference interrupts, and asks if there are other questions.] MJ: No, that's alright, I don't mind answering that. Q: So, having said that, do you think you've made any mistakes with the company you keep? MJ: Yes, I think that I have admitted in the past that I've made decisions that I've quickly corrected. Once I found out what my ex-husband did, or was alleged to have done, I parted ways. Once I really realized the amount of negative energy, the stuff that Mr. Francis had done in the past --even though I've already said that I wouldn't change having gone to him-- I parted ways with him. When I found out some things about [former coach] Mr. Trevor Graham, I parted ways with him. And so, yes, my decision-making in the past about certain people was a little suspect, and I was young and made decisions that I've since corrected. But I'm at a point in my career where I don't put a lot of substance into what people on the outside --who really don't know me-- say, or what they think. If that was the case, I'd live a very frustrating life. But really, what people on the outside think, judgments that they come about by reading whatever they read in the press, doesn't make much difference to me. If it did, if every single time something negative was said about me, I'd run in a cave and hide. But I don't really put much substance into what the outside people think. And the people who have seen my career flourish over the years, who have seen me get progressively better and better, know that from the time that I was seven --when I started -- to now, that my times have been extremely progressive and nothing out of the ordinary. ----- ----------------------------------------- The TRACK PROFILE REPORT is a news and feature service published by the Track Profile News Service. In addition to regularly dispatched news, profile and interview features, subscribers also receive exclusive on-site updates from major national and international competitions, usually within 24 hours. Copyright (c) 2004 by Bob Ramsak and TRACK PROFILE. All rights reserved. Reproduction, republication, reposting and retransmission in ANY form is strictly prohibited without express permission from the editor. Small portions may be reproduced ONLY if accompanied by source citation and *ADVANCE* notice in writing to Track Profile. Please contact the editor at bob@trackprofile.com for reprint permission. ] ----- ----------------------------------------- The TRACK PROFILE Report is sponsored in part by Shooting Star Media, Inc., publisher of the magazines American Track & Field, ATF Athletes Only, and California Track & Running News. Besides its publications, Shooting Star Media manages three websites and is an advertising representative for The Running Network, a group of 28 regional and national specialty running magazines. American Track & Field [ http://www.american-trackandfield.com ] is a professional magazine geared to coaches, athletes and enthusiasts of track & field, race walking, road racing and cross country running. Links to all Shooting Star Media publications can be found on its website at http://www.shootingstarmediainc.com . ------ ----------------------------------------- Individual subscriptions: $40/year. To make payment arrangements, send an email to bob@trackprofile.com or you can pay by credit card via paypal at [ http://www.trackprofile.com/dispatch.html ]. Likewise, direct all comments, suggestions, questions, and corrections via email to bob@trackprofile.com . More info at http://www.trackprofile.com . END – TPR #108 - 10-June-2004  [ $15.99 - Trade paperback ] [ $6.95 - PDF eBook edition ] |
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