Athletics: Shamed US track star Marion Jones admits she has "nobody to blame but myself" after pleading guilty to lying to federal investigators about using steroids.
Jones, the former golden girl of American athletics who won five medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, also confirmed her retirement from athletics after admitting she lied to a federal investigator in November 2003 when he asked if she had used performance-enhancing drugs.
The 32-year-old also pleaded guilty to a second count of lying to investigators about her association with a cheque-fraud conspiracy.
Outside the court in White Plains, New York, Jones broke down in tears, saying she fully understood she had disappointed her friends, family and supporters.
"It is with a great amount of shame that I tell you I have betrayed your trust.
"I want all of you to know I pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements to federal agents. Making these false statements to federal agents was incredibly stupid and I am fully responsible for my actions.
"To you, my fans, including my young supporters, the US Track and Field Association, my close friends, my attorneys and the most classy family a person could ever hope for - namely my mother, my husband, my children, my brother and his family and the rest of my extended family.
"I want you to know I have been dishonest. I have nobody to blame but myself. I have let them down, let myself down and let my country down."
Jones said she took steroids from September 2000 to July 2001 and claimed her then-coach Trevor Graham said she was taking flaxseed oil when it was actually a banned substance known in sporting circles as "the clear".
By the time she was questioned in 2003 she knew she had been taking the substance but lied to investigators.
In a letter to close friends and family which appeared in the Washington Post, Jones had earlier said: "I want to apologise to you all for all of this. I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways."
Craig Masback, chief executive officer of USA Track and Field, said: "Anything that exposes the truth about drug use in sport is good for ensuring the integrity of sport.
"Any use of performance-enhancing substances is a tragedy for the athlete, their team-mates, friends, family and the sport."
Jones now looks certain to be stripped of her Olympics medals.
The International Olympic Committee has already opened an investigation into doping allegations against Jones in December 2004, and said today it would step up its probe and move quickly to strip her of her medals.
Under statute of limitations rules, the IOC and other sports bodies can go back eight years to strip medals and nullify results. In Jones' case, that would include the 2000 Olympics, where she won gold in the 100m, 200m and 1,600m relay and bronze in the long jump and 400m relay.