There is no evidence, yet, whatsoever, that Marion Jones used illegal substances in all competitions in which she won medals. Yet, there are indicators that she, and several other athletes, dope.

Marion Jones was married to C.J. Hunter, who tested positive for doping after clinching the gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics shot put event. She then married Tim Montgomery, former 100 meter world record holder, with whom she had a child, also banned from the sport for doping in 2004. His world record was cancelled.

Other major track and field athletes who tested positive for banned substances include all three who were awarded medals in the 1988 Seoul Olympic 100 meter race after Ben Johnson was infamously disqualified. In fact, the top five of that race were found using illegal substances at some point in their career. Johnson was a scapegoat.

Marion Jones finished 100 and 200 meter races in the Sydney Olympic Games around 10 meters ahead of her competitors, which is rare. She also strolled and took an unassailable lead in the 4X400 meter race, which is not her specialty, and kept running at an amazing pace without ever stopping, though she had competed in three other competitions before. At that time, there was no evidence of doping.

Florence Griffith-Joyner also developed unbelievable muscles and ran 100 meters and 200 meters at record times that remain unbeaten. She died at 38, yet no one dared to point at the fact that she had possibly used banned substances throughout her life.

Marion Jones was caught because she was betrayed. Doping is always ahead of science. Had Ben Johnson used the substance one day prior to the one he used it, he would not have been caught, and his record would probably have stood.

Sports are all about entertainment. Everyone knew that Marion Jones had doped in Sydney. The news just didn’t dare to say it, on the basis that they could face libel charges. But Jones was no hero. She was a cheater, and her reputation was spoiled, except for the countless fans who blindly believed that she was clean.

Her ex-husband Hunter claims that she cheated long before the Sydney Olympics. Whether she did or not, her reputation, health, fame and fortune have dwindled. She is broke, and her life expectancy is far behind that of an average American adult. How does it feel to win when you cheated? Well, you may not be gifted, but you still get the money.

Money is what encourages sportsmen to cheat. People no longer perform for the love of the game. Clean sports, therefore, should probably remain amateur sports, because professional sports are no longer what they used to be, with people focusing more on sports marketing and on the beauty of the sportspeople, and Marion also played that game, making the front pages of magazines. When it is obvious that someone doped, investigations should be carried out more seriously, and the cheaters, not investigators, should be blamed.