Marion Jones appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and talked about her journey with anabolic steroids.

It was the Olympic sprint athlete’s first interview since her release from a federal prison in Texas a month ago. Jones had served a six-month sentence for lying about steroid use and her role in a check-fraud scam.

The 33-year-old had consistently denied her use of steroids until her testimony in a federal court last year when she admitted that she had used the designer steroid known as ‘The Clear’ from September 2000 to July 2001. She had been stripped of all the five medals she won at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 – 3 golds, 2 bronzes – after her admission.

“I made the decision I was going to lie and try to cover it up,” Marion Jones told the Queen of Talk Show about lying to prosecutors when they showed her a vial of “The Clear”, a designer steroid. “I knew that all of my performances would be questioned.”

“The Clear” was the design of the now defunct Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative of the anabolic steroid tetrahydrogestrinone, also known as THG. BALCO was reportedly the source of performance-enhancing drugs of many elite athletes including Jones.

Jones’ teammates in the relay teams were also stripped of their medals, and she apologized to her teammates for doing what she did.

“When I stepped on that track, I thought everybody was drug-free, including myself,” Jones said. “I apologize for having to put everybody through all of this.

“I’m trying to move on. I hope that everybody else can move on, too.”

Jones’ U.S. teammates in the 400-meter and 1,600-meter relays were also disqualified by the International Olympic Committee due to Jones’ doping violation and have filed an appeal in the Court of Sports Arbitration.

Jones said to Oprah that she will never run again and instead wants to inspire young people to do things the right way.

“I don’t have athletics anymore to hide behind,” Jones said. “In the past, it was Marion Jones, the athlete. … I don’t have that cover anymore. I have really had to find out who I am and why I make certain choices.”

In the end, There were rumors Marion Jones was going to buy steroids directly from BALCO, but decided to buy steroids thru her Olympic coach.  This is what caused her downfall in the Olympic world.  She started a cycle of steroid abuse, backed by her great Olympic performances.

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