Should Marion Jones be pardoned?

Years ago, my sisters and I won medals galore as track runners in Southeast London.

I have watched Marion Jones and many others win numerous gold and silver medals for their amazing feats. Now, along with Ben Johnson and other disgraced athletes, Marion Jones is dropping her head in shame. It seems that the lady would like President Bush to entertain the notion of providing her a presidential pardon.

Pardon me? She lied to federal agents - that equates to jail time for the likes of you and me. Yes, I know that she has a young family - perhaps she should have thought harder before committing perjury.

We are just over a week away from the summer Beijing Olympics - the president could not send a worse message to the young athletes if he pardons Jones. From the athletes who are from China who might have lied about their ages (with help from capable adults, I am sure) to get passports to claim they are 16, to those who have already been barred from competition for using performance enhancing drugs.

No pardon should be allowed - lying is lying and lying to a federal agent equates to jail time for the rest of us, as I said.