For the average Belizean, having the equivalent of US$2,000 in a bank account wouldn’t necessarily be bad news, but it would be a grave cause for concern if you are a world famous athlete who was once worth millions. That’s the story that has recently surfaced in the United States regarding Belize’s Golden Girl – Marion Jones, who will nevertheless remain in the world’s history books as the first woman to grab five Olympic medals in one season of the games, and who will continue to be revered by fans across the world, and especially in Belize.
Over the past four years Marion Jones’ career has been in turmoil, after she was falsely accused of doping on prohibited steroids—a charge of which she was later cleared.
The Los Angeles Times, which carried a detailed account on Saturday, June 23, on Jones’ most recent plight, says that since 2003 Marion has been embroiled in a string of legal battles that she claims has siphoned off a significant portion of her money, and have left her seriously in debt because of outstanding legal fees.
Marion Jones, 31, last year lost her US$2.5 million mansion in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, when her bank foreclosed, and it has been reported that she has sold two other properties to raise cash, including one home that had been occupied by her mother, Marion Toler, a Belizean.
The Times reports that recent court records indicate that Jones’ cumulative bank balance is down to US$2,000.
Jones made the revelation in a 168-page deposition filed April in a Dallas, Texas, court, in respect of a suit involving her and her former track coach, Dan Pfaff. Jones was suing Pfaff for breach of contract after he reportedly disclosed confidential information on her to Nike, which allegedly undermined her endorsement contract. But Pfaff counter-sued for unpaid fees and won a judgment of US$240,000—which the US reports say have yet to be paid. Jones had also been involved in a defamation suit against Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) following the doping allegations.
There was no disclosure of the magnitude of Jones’ legal bills since 2003, but on top of that Jones also filed a child support complaint against her son’s father, Tim Montgomery, last year.
The international news reports attest that Marion Jones was one of track and field’s first female millionaires, having earned up to US$80,000 a race and a cool million in race bonuses and endorsement deals.
Her career peaked in the 2000/2001 season when she competed in 21 international events and won five medals – including three gold medals – in the Sydney (Australia) Olympics.
Marion, who has dual Belize and US citizenship, has made Belize proud by acknowledging her heritage on the international stage, where she has proudly flown the Belize flag alongside the flag of the US.
Marion last visited Belize with her son, Monte, in December 2006. Incidentally, drug use accusations against Marion came not too long after her 2003 visit to Belize.
Through the Marion Jones Foundation, the athlete had committed to working with the Government of Belize to develop the Marion Jones Sporting Complex (formerly the National Stadium) in Belize City to make it a world-class facility through the support of corporate and individual sponsors. In December, she reaffirmed her commitment to this development.
While the nation is heartbroken to hear of Marion’s financial ordeals, there is news worthy of celebration. In February, she married Barbados Olympic 100m sprinter, Obadele Thompson. In her deposition before the court, she expressed all faith that she would rise above her troubles.
“I pray that God will bless me and my needs will be taken care of,” she was quoted as saying.