Jamaica won silver in the 1,600, with Russia taking the bronze and Nigeria finishing fourth. France finished fourth in the 400-relay.
Russia and France. Sound familiar? It should.
I find it sad that six years ago in Salt Lake City, the IOC decided to award gold medals to both Canada and Russia in pairs figure skating after it was learned the French judge admitted she was pressured to give a higher score to the Russian couple. Yet, the IOC is now forcing everyone on the U.S. team to suffer for Jones' lack of judgment.
I know there is still one unanswered question: Did any of Jones' teammates know she was doping? I would not be surprised if at least one knew about it - but all eight of them? I find that unlikely.
The punishment seems to fit that of the one I remember from elementary school. One kid launches a spitball, but no one fesses up, so the whole class gets detention.
Simply put, there is no way to determine if the U.S. wouldn't have won without Jones. If the IOC can let Russia keep its skating gold after the scoring scandal and allow Canada to have a duplicate gold, I wonder why it can't see fit to award a second gold to Jamaica, a silver to Russia and a bronze to Nigeria in the 1,600. A duplicate bronze could go to France in the 400.
Marion Jones has been punished. Her Olympic medals are gone. She's going to prison. Should her fellow teammates go down with her?