Jones "one of biggest frauds" in sport, says Diack

By Gene Cherry

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - Disgraced Olympic champion Marion Jones will be remembered as one of the biggest frauds in sporting history, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said on Saturday.

"It is a tragedy," Lamine Diack said in a statement to Reuters.

After years of denial, triple Olympic champion Jones admitted on Friday she had used steroids and pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to lying to federal investigators.

Diack said the admission, which could cost Jones the five medals she won at the 2000 Games, tarnished not only the sprinter but the image of the sport worldwide.

"I am deeply disappointed that an athlete with Marion Jones's immense natural ability gave in to the corrupt, 'get rich quick' spin of a dope dealer like Victor Conte," Diack said.

"If she had trusted to her own natural gifts and allied them to self sacrifice and hard work, I sincerely believe that she could have been an honest champion at the Sydney Games," Diack said of Jones, who won three gold and two bronze medals in Sydney.

"Now, instead, Marion Jones will be remembered as one of the biggest frauds in sporting history," Diack added.

'THE CLEAR'