AUSTRALIA: SYDNEY OLYMPICS: CJ HUNTER 2

(26 Sep 2000) English/Nat
XFA
The golden girl of the track, sprinter Marion Jones, says she will stand by her husband, American shot putter CJ Hunter, after he tested positive for steroids just days before competing at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

World shot putting champion, CJ Hunter, broke down and wept before the world's media in Sydney on Tuesday, vehemently denying that he is a drugs cheat.

The IOC medical commission today revealed that Hunter had tested positive for the banned substance Nandrolone four times since June.

Jones is aiming for five gold medals at the Sydney Olympic Games faced one of her toughest challenges.

U-S sprinter Marion Jones faced the media on Tuesday to defend the reputation of her husband, shot putter and teammate CJ Hunter, after he tested positive to the steroid Nandrolone.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"As you all know this has been very difficult, the last couple of days, Cj and I, and I am here to show my complete support for my husband. Aside for him being and athlete and me being an athlete he is my husband and I want to show my support for him. I have total and complete respect and believe that the legal system will do what's needed to do to clear his name. I hope that all of you will respect the fact that I am competing still here in the Sydney Games. I have four more events to do so with saying that, if we cannot get any more phone calls to our hotel, we'd really really appreciate that, thank you."
SUPERCAPTION: Marion Jones, U-S Runner

Jones, who has already won the gold for the 100 metres, pleaded to the media to leave her in peace as she prepares to compete in the first of heats for the 200 metre sprint on Wednesday and her other three upcoming events.

Her husband, CJ Hunter, said his priority was to ensure that his drugs scandal would not prevent his wife from achieving her dream of five gold medals.

The teary 31 year old told Tuesday's news conference he would never do anything to jeopardise his family's reputation or that of his wife.

SOUNDBITE (English)
"I never thought I'd see the day you guys would want to photograph me more than my wife. Just a few things, for those of you who know me, anyone might say I may not be the most agreeable person and that I can be downright mean at times, but nobody on the planet can say I don't love my wife or don't love my kids. I have never in my life, or would I ever, do anything to jeopardise their opinion of me, I don't know what has happened or I don't know how it's happened and how it may affect me are the least of my concerns. One thing that has to be understood is that track and field has never been that important to me and not to the point that I would do something like this. I've been training my ass off and been competing internationally for 10 years and in 10 years I've improved six and a half feet. Think about that. Six and half feet. As many of you know I had no desire or intention to compete after this year. This was it. I'm tired. It's not fun to train anymore. I'm tired. Why do you keep throwing? Because I can travel around the world with my wife for free. And that's it. It's just, the Olympics and me winning a medal here has not even been one of my top priorities."
SUPERCAPTION: : CJ Hunter U-S shot putter

Hunter, who says he learned of the positive drug test result via the media, recalled his heartbreak in breaking the news to his wife.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I told her I don't know what happened and I'm sorry and she knows, like I said, I would never do anything to hurt her or anything she's trying to accomplish."












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