Thorpe: Athletics must take blame for BALCO

Multiple swimming world record holder Ian Thorpe believes athletics would not be embroiled in the ongoing Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) drugs scandal if officials had dealt with the drugs issue earlier.

Olympic multi-medallist Marion Jones has been drawn into the doping controversy after Victor Conte, owner of BALCO, alleged he had supplied her with performance-enhancing drugs in the run-up to the Sydney Games in 2000.