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Jones pleads guilty in drug case Jones pleads guilty in drug case
(about 1 hour later)
US athlete Marion Jones has pleaded guilty to lying to investigators when she denied using banned steroids in the run-up to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. US athlete Marion Jones has pleaded guilty to lying about her steroid use to US investigators, which could see her jailed and stripped of her medals.
Her plea could see her jailed and stripped of the five medals she won. The 31-year-old had previously denied using performance-enhancing drugs ahead of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she won five medals - three of them gold.
Ms Jones's New York court appearance comes a day after the Washington Post reported she had sent letters to family and friends apologising for drug use. In court she admitted using a steroid between September 2000 and July 2001, and lying to a federal inquiry in 2003.
The sprinter had previously denied using drugs to enhance her performance, despite suspicions she had done so. After leaving court a tearful Ms Jones said she was retiring from athletics.
She failed one blood test last year but was cleared of doping when a second test for the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO) proved negative. Ms Jones said she was told by her former coach Trevor Graham that she was taking flaxseed oil, a nutritional supplement, when it was actually a steroid known as "the clear".
"By November 2003, I realised he was giving me performance-enhancing drugs," she told the judge at court in New York.
She was ordered to return to court on 11 January for sentencing.
Outside court Ms Jones announced her retirement and admitted she had broken the trust of her fans.
'I am sorry''I am sorry'
According to the letter she sent to close family and friends, Ms Jones said she had taken a steroid known as "the clear" for two years from 1999. "The clear" is a banned drug linked to the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (Balco), a San Francisco-based laboratory at the centre of a steroids scandal in professional sports.
She said it was given to her by her former coach and that she had taken it thinking it was flaxseed oil, a nutritional supplement. The IOC launched an investigation in December 2004 into doping allegations involving Ms Jones in connection with Balco.
The IOC said on Friday that it would step up its inquiry and move quickly to strip Ms Jones of her medals.
Her court appearance comes a day after the Washington Post reported she had sent letters to family and friends apologising for drug use.
"I want to apologise for all of this," the Post quoted her letter as saying. "I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways.""I want to apologise for all of this," the Post quoted her letter as saying. "I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways."
The athlete, who became the first woman to win five medals at a single Olympic Games in 2000, said she could face up to six months in prison, the Post reported. The sprinter failed one blood test last year but was cleared of doping when a second test for the blood-booster erythropoietin (EPO) proved negative.
In a statement issued on Friday, the International Olympic Committee said: "The IOC has learnt about Marion Jones' intention to plead guilty to lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing substances during her career."
The IOC launched an investigation in 2004 into doping allegations involving Ms Jones, connected to the US Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (Balco).
Progress in the Balco inquiry had been slow because it was difficult to gather findings, the statement said.
"The information that Marion Jones might provide later on today may prove to be key in moving this case forward," it added.