robert kelly
05-12-2005, 11:59 AM
Updated: 10:05 a.m. ET May 12, 2005PARIS - Marion Jones’ invitation to run in Paris on Sunday was withdrawn because organizers wanted to follow the practice established by other European meets.
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Jones was to compete in the 200 meters at the Essone meet. French organizers withdrew the invitation after several major European meet directors decided not to invite Jones or boyfriend Tim Montgomery. Jones and Montgomery are under investigation for possible doping.
The Euro Meetings group, made up of directors of Europe’s major meets, has declined to invite the two Americans.
“We decided to fall in line with the position taken by the Euro Meetings group,” Essone race organizer Anne Tournier-Lasserve said Thursday. “We were under no pressure from them and are free to make our own decisions.”
Jones and Montgomery are linked with the BALCO lab, which is under investigation for drug violations. Jones has never tested positive for performance-enhancing substances and has repeatedly denied using them. She has filed a $25 million defamation suit against BALCO founder Victor Conte.
On April 30, Jones won her first race in almost a year, taking the 100 meters in 11.28 seconds at an IAAF Grand Prix II meet in Martinique.
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Jones was to compete in the 200 meters at the Essone meet. French organizers withdrew the invitation after several major European meet directors decided not to invite Jones or boyfriend Tim Montgomery. Jones and Montgomery are under investigation for possible doping.
The Euro Meetings group, made up of directors of Europe’s major meets, has declined to invite the two Americans.
“We decided to fall in line with the position taken by the Euro Meetings group,” Essone race organizer Anne Tournier-Lasserve said Thursday. “We were under no pressure from them and are free to make our own decisions.”
Jones and Montgomery are linked with the BALCO lab, which is under investigation for drug violations. Jones has never tested positive for performance-enhancing substances and has repeatedly denied using them. She has filed a $25 million defamation suit against BALCO founder Victor Conte.
On April 30, Jones won her first race in almost a year, taking the 100 meters in 11.28 seconds at an IAAF Grand Prix II meet in Martinique.