Marion Jones did use steroids

[Guest Redhawk]

ESPN.com news services

 

SAN FRANCISCO -- The ex-husband of three-time Olympic champion Marion Jones told federal investigators that Jones was using banned performance-enhancing drugs during the 2000 Games in Sydney where she won five medals, two newspapers reported.

 

The San Francisco Chronicle said C.J. Hunter told Internal Revenue Service investigators pursuing the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case that he personally injected his then-wife with banned substances and saw Jones inject herself with the drugs at their home in Australia.

 

The San Jose Mercury News, citing anonymous sources, also reported Hunter's charges to the investigators.

 

Both newspapers had the stories on their Web sites Thursday night.

 

Human growth hormone, the steroid THG, insulin and the endurance-boosting drug EPO were among the substances Hunter alleged that Jones used.

 

Hunter, who won a shot put world title in 1999, tested positive for steroids four times in 2000 -- when he was married to Jones, who has adamantly denied using banned substances.

 

Jones' attorney, Joseph Burton, released a statement to The Associated Press on Thursday night accusing Hunter of lying to authorities because he was bitter about the couple's breakup.

 

"C.J. Hunter has made false statements to federal officials, and we call upon federal authorities to investigate Hunter's conduct as it is a crime to lie to federal investigators," Burton said.

 

According to Burton, Hunter's comments are contradicted by those made by Trevor Graham, Jones' former coach.

 

"C.J. Hunter has had an axe to grind ever since Marion Jones ended their marriage," Burton said. "Fortunately, Hunter's efforts to exact his revenge by telling lies to the government are directly contradicted by the statements made to the government investigators of Marion Jones' former coach."

 

Burton, who never identifies Graham by name, said the former coach "has supported everything Marion has said all along -- that she never used performance enhancing drugs."

 

Angela DeMent, Hunter's lead attorney, told the Mercury News, "It is totally inappropriate for me or any attorney to publicly comment about the facts of a pending case or pending investigation. That being said, perjury is a serious crime and those who commit that crime should be punished accordingly."

 

Travis Tygart, director of legal affairs for the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, would not comment specifically on Jones' case. The agency's investigations are separate from those being conducted by the IRS, but many of the same individuals are being questioned.

 

"USADA is extremely appreciative of those individuals who come forward with relevant information and USADA is following up on every lead it receives," Tygart said.

 

Jones, who had three gold medals among the five she won in Sydney, is scheduled to compete in the long jump at next month's Olympics in Athens. She failed to qualify in the 100 meters at last week's Olympic trials in Sacramento, Calif., and withdrew from the 200.

 

Citing investigators' memos, the Chronicle reported that Hunter gave a 2½-hour interview to IRS investigators on June 8 in Raleigh, N.C., and had a follow-up call a week later.

 

During the interview, Hunter alleged that Jones had used banned substances before, during and after the Sydney Olympics.

 

"Hunter stated that he saw Jones inject herself with EPO," IRS agent Erwin Rogers wrote in one of the memos quoted by the Chronicle. "Jones would inject herself in the front waist line area slightly underneath the skin. ... Initially, Hunter injected Jones because Jones did not want to inject herself in this location."

 

Hunter alleged that Jones obtained performance-enhancing drugs from Victor Conte, owner of BALCO, and from her coach, Trevor Graham. Conte has pleaded not guilty to steroid conspiracy charges and Graham denied to investigators that he supplied Jones with steroids.

 

According to the Chronicle, Jones' current boyfriend, sprinter Tim Montgomery, gave testimony similar to Hunter's to the BALCO grand jury last November.

 

Montgomery reportedly admitted he obtained HGH and THG ("the clear") from Conte and that the BALCO owner sent him THG overseas in flaxseed oil containers, the same substance Hunter said they used to transport the substance for Jones.

 

Montgomery also concurred that Conte used the name "Vince Reed" when using FedEx to ship the banned substances. Montgomery reportedly was not asked during his testimony whether Jones used drugs.

 

BALCO, a lab in Burlingame, is at the center of an international sports doping scandal that has enveloped prominent athletes, including San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds and sprinter Tim Montgomery.

 

"The government continues to leak information, and they continue to put their case together one lying idiot at a time," Troy Ellerman, a member of Conte's defense team, told the Mercury News. "I don't know what else to say."

[Dangerous A 0]

Cute. Very cute.

 

On the one hand, you've got Marion's ex-husband saying he shot her up with steroids and illegal substances, but at the same time you have to wonder about the source since he may have an ax to grind with his ex. Also of note is Marion Jones current boyfriend who's first name escapes me right now but his last name is Montgomery is also accused of doping up for track and field.

 

It doesn't look good for Marion I can say that much

[the max 0]

Tim Montgomery, I think you're thinking of.

 

I don't think her ex is lying. It's one thing to lie, it's another to lie to the feds. I'm sure he has an attorney and the attorney is saying "now is not the time to make up shit."

 

Plus, Jones has done poorly since she made her "I'M INNOCENT" statement.

 

Not to mention, she was blamed, and it took her a while to come out and say "I'm innocent." If that were me, I'd be calling media 15 seconds after I heard the news and scheduling a press conference to proclaim my innocence.

 

This thing with her sounds really suspicious.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

I doubt the guy is lying. If he was doing this to get back at her he would go to the press not the feds. He's not stupid enough to get himself in deep shit over something like this.

[Precious Roy 0]

I think he's telling the legit, I just think it's funny that he still claims he was clean but also says he helped Jones shoot up