by Jeffery A. Faulkerson

Created on: June 30, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

Why is everyone hating on Marion Jones?

She has only been accused of using anabolic steroids; she was never convicted. More specifically, the only positive test that she failed proved to be invalid, resulting from the negative results of a B sample. Marion Jones is still the greatest, women's sprinter competing today, and she is DRUG-FREE.

Florence Griffith-Joyner, God rest her soul, ran some amazing times (10.49 in the 100, 21.32 in the 200). Because she ran as fast as many men, you could easily build a case that she was on "the juice". While I enjoyed watching her compete, I still had a difficult time believing she could run that fast without a little help. Her records should have been wiped from the books if she was indeed using steroids. But her quick retirement following her astonishing records, and unfortunate death, prevented us from getting at this truth. Consequently, she will always be considered the all-time world's fastest woman.

But getting back to Marion: She lost her millions not because of a lack of wisdom when it comes to the management of her finances. She lost her millions by hiring high-powered lawyers to protect her good name. God has shown favor on Marion's track and field career, allowing her to become prosperous through the exercise of her gifts, and it's a shame that we, the American public, allowed the media to tear her down rather than build her up.

If anything, Marion opted to be equally yoked with unbelievers - shot putter C.J. Hunter, sprinter Tim Montgomery. Because of these associations, we perceive her as guilty of the same crimes Hunter and Montgomery were proven to be guilty of. But Marion Jones is not a cheater. She's a daughter to a mother, a mother to a son. And because of one common lie from a few cheaters, she has been robbed of the prosperity that she accumulated through her hard work and dedication to the sport.

We Americans need to stand up and say "Enough is enough.!" Let Marion return to the track - without being the object of our disdain - and submit to drug tests after each of her races. If we allow her to do this, I believe she will rise from the pit of despair to be redeemed, once again becoming the darling of track and field.

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