Doug Logan, the CEO of USA Track & Field, has asked President George W. Bush to NOT pardon sprinter Marion Jones. Marion Jones was sentenced to six months in prison for perjury; Jones lied to federal investigators about her use of steroids. Marion Jones recently applied for a presidential pardon.

Unfortunately, Logan is seemingly unaware of the crimes for which Marion Jones was imprisoned.  USA Track & Field feels she should be punished by the federal government for doping.

To reduce Ms. Jones’s 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. A pardon would also send the wrong message to the international community. 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. (emphasis added)

[...]

With her cheating and lying, Marion Jones did everything she could to violate the principles of track and field and Olympic competition. When she came under scrutiny for doping, she taunted any who doubted her purity, talent and work ethic. Just as she had succeeded in duping us with her performances, she duped many people into giving her the benefit of the doubt. (emphasis added)

She is not in prison for doping. Her sentence is not based on cheating in sports or the Olympic Games or the Olympic movement. Thus, she should not be punished by the criminal justice system for anything more than perjury. She was convicted and sentenced for this crime and this crime alone.

Her doping offenses have been penalized by anti-doping agencies, etc. already. Mr. Logan feels that her sentence for perjury should take into account her use of banned substances. She was not indicted for using steroids; she was indicted for lying about her use. This is an important distinction. Justifying harsh sentences based on factors not directly related to the crime is an abuse of the system. It should not be used to make an example of athletes who use steroids.