Jones camp challenges drug supplier Conte to take lie detector test
Jones has filed a lawsuit seeking more than £12m ($25m) against Victor Conte, the founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), for defamation and false accusations of doping.
Conte has been charged with illegal steroid trafficking and money laundering after a federal investigation into BALCO, the company at the centre of a doping scandal which has implicated many of the United States’ top sportspeople.
“Today we challenge Mr Conte to take and make public a lie-detector examination from a qualified, well-respected polygrapher,” Jones’ lawyer Rich Nicholls said in a statement. “Marion Jones took, passed and made public a lie-detector test, which confirmed what she has said publicly, what her then coach has reportedly said and what her doctor reported - she has never, ever used performance-enhancing drugs.”
Jones is the only woman to have won five athletics medals at a single Olympics. In her lawsuit filed in the US District Court she described the accusations as “false and malicious” and claimed they have cost her millions in endorsements. She could lose her five Olympic medals as the International Olympic Committee is to investigate Conte’s accuasations.
Jones claims she has passed 160 doping tests, including five at the 2000 Olympics, and has repeatedly denied taking any banned substances - Conte, however, has consistently stood by his claims. Nicholls wants him to be asked three questions:
“On 21 April 2001 did you observe Marion Jones inject herself with performance-enhancing drugs?”
“Have you ever leaked any grand jury testimony or other evidence related to the current criminal proceeding pending in federal court against you?”
“Have you ever observed Marion Jones illegally taking any performance-enhancing drugs?”
He added: “It is easy to go on national television and, as the lawsuit states, make ‘false’, ‘malicious’ and ‘misleading’ statements designed to do harm to Ms Jones’ reputation. However, it is quite another matter to take a polygraph examination that will test whether one is a truthful person or untruthful person who engages in deception.”
Jones is under investigation for steroid use by the United States Anti-Doping Agency after finding herself embroiled in the federal probe into BALCO and they will take Conte’s accusations into account. To never fail a drugs test is no longer a fail-safe defence. Michelle Collins was last week handed an eight-year ban without testing positive while Jones’ partner Tim Montgomery, the 100metres world record holder, faces a lifetime ban after being charged because of information taken in raids on BALCO rather than positive dope tests. Conte is likely to face trial in March.
