New USATF CEO Takes a Stand Against Marion Jones’ Commutation Request
Posted July 23rd, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Stephanie Lowe
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, SoundOFF, Columns, Drugs In Sports
Doug Logan, the new chief executive officer of USA Track & Field, wrote an open letter to President Bush Tuesday in regard to Marion Jones’ plea for commutation of her prison sentence. Jones currently serves a six-month sentence that began in March for lying to federal agents about her performance enhancing drug use (tetrahydrogestrinone, also known as THG or “the clear”) and a check-fraud scheme.
In his letter, Logan asks Bush to deny Jones’ appeal for a pardon.
“As the new CEO of USA Track & Field, I have a moral and practical duty to make the case against her request. With her cheating and lying, Marion Jones did everything she could to violate the principles of track and field and Olympic competition,” Logan wrote.
“Few things are more globally respected than the Olympic Games, and to pardon one of the biggest frauds perpetuated on the Olympic movement would be nothing less than thumbing our collective noses at the world.”
Logan stated that he is concerned by the message Jones sends to athletes, fans and especially young people.
“To reduce Ms. Jones’ sentence or pardon her would send a horrible message to young people who idolized her, reinforcing the notion that you can cheat and be entitled to get away with it,” he said in the letter.
Jones appeared to share this sentiment back in January when she was a guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Or did she lie that time too?
“I made a mistake. I want people to understand everybody makes mistakes. I truly think a person’s character is determined by their admission of their mistakes…” Jones told Oprah. “How can I change the lives of people? How can I use my story to change the life of a young person?”
She can start by serving her time. Jones is in prison, yet shows little remorse for her crime by her request to shorten her prison stay. What does this say about other convicted drug cheats who receive a lesser punishment, such as a two-year ban from competition? After all, Jones did not go to prison for doping, just for lying about it.
Logan, who describes himself as “a passionate messenger in the battle against performance enhancing drugs,” made it known in a media teleconference Friday that he intends to do everything he can to keep the sport clean.
“My message is, ‘If you are cheating, get out. If you are suggesting as a coach or agent or personal manager to a young person to use some of these substances, get out.’ We will find ways of getting these people out of the sport,” Logan said. “…there needs to be a cultural reversal with regard to how people look and feel about the issue of people cheating. I think that has been the missing component so far, and hopefully I will be able to mobilize others.”
In only his second day on the job, Logan demonstrates his experience and strong leadership ability and is straightforward with his vision for USATF. He has no biases and encourages feedback from anyone involved with the sport. Only time will tell if he can implement his goals to restructure the organization and improve the sport, but so far he has made a great first impression.
Related Stories:
- USATF CEO: “We Are About to Witness a Paradigm Shift in the Business of Sports”
- Transcript of USATF CEO Doug Logan’s Convention-Closing Speech
- In Letter to President Bush, USATF Opposes Jones’ Request for Pardon, Commutation
- Doug Logan Named CEO of USA Track & Field
- Running USA Taps Susan Weeks as New CEO
Tags: doping, doug logan, drugs in sport, epo, george w. bush, Marion Jones, pardon, performance enhancing drugs, president bush, president george w. bush, presidential pardon, steroids, USA Track & Field, usatf
Like what you see? Subscribe to our feed!
















The Final Sprint
[…] [Read original] Tags: Amp, Best Friend, Ceo, Check Fraud, Chief Executive Officer, Commutation, Doug Logan, Drug Use, Federal Agents, Fraud Scheme, Jones Appeal, Marion Jones, Plea, President Bush, Prison Sentence, Rtp, Socializer, sports, Thg, Usa Track, Usatf […]
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:08 pmVery interesting blog, i have added it to my fovourites, greetings
August 4th, 2008 at 2:41 pm