Medalist Marion Jones Fails Drug Test

By Mark Hoerrner

It’s a long-standing and storied tradition in the athletic world: performance-enhancing drug use. Marion Jones, America’s sweetheart sprinter, tested positive for a drug called EPO June 23. She has requested an expedited review of her "B" sample, according to reports by Reuters and ESPN.

Her coach was stunned. And adamant that she was innocent.

"She said I have got some traces of EPO," Steve Riddick told Reuters in a telephone call on Saturday from his Norfolk, Va., home.

"I started laughing, but she said she was serious."

Riddick has been Jones’ coach for the past two years. He said that he was certain her "B" sample, scheduled for testing on Sept. 6, would come back negative.

"I would stake my life on it she did not take EPO," he told ESPN.

USA today reports that there are more problems between "A" and "B" samples when EPO is indicated than any other banned substance. EPO, or Erythropoietin (pronounced, ah-rith-ro-poy-tin, and abbreviated, EPO), has not been long in the mix with athletes. It’s popular with runners because EPO expands endurance while training, according to Charles Yesalis, a former Penn State professor.

"If you train harder, during that 10-plus seconds you will perform better," he told ESPN, adding there is disagreement in the scientific community over whether EPO does sprinters any good.

"Blood doping is the process of artificially increasing the amount of red blood cells in the body in an attempt to improve athletic performance," writes Mark Jenkins, a sports medicine researcher at Rice University. "In the past this was accomplished by transfusion…EPO has put a whole new spin on blood doping. No need for messy transfusions, just shoot up with EPO to increase your circulating erythrocyte mass. Until recently accurate testing has been difficult because the recombinant human EPO made in the lab is virtually identical to the naturally occurring form and there are no firmly established normal ranges for EPO in the body."

Jones released a statement on the matter yesterday, sounding as if lessons had been learned by cyclist Floyd Landis’ daily fencing matches with the press after steroids had been discovered in his urine.

"I was shocked when I was informed about the positive 'A' sample," Jones said in the statement. "I have requested that the testing of my 'B' sample be expedited and done as soon as possible. I would also like to note that only my lawyers have the authority to speak on my behalf in this matter, and I will have no further comment until the results of the 'B' sample are released."

Jones has faced being investigated by the U.S. Anti-Doping agency because of her connection with her former partner, Tim Montgomery. Montgomery was banned for two years after he was linked to the infamous BALCO case that continues to plague high-visibility athletes like San Franscisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds. She has consistently denied doping and has never been charged with a doping offense.