Marion Jones gets 6 months in prison

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Jan. 11 (UPI) -- U.S. track star Marion Jones, who surrendered her Olympic medals after admitting to doping, was sentenced Friday to six months in prison.

Jones, 32, pleaded guilty in October to lying to federal investigators in 2003 during a larger sports doping investigation and a check-fraud case. At the same time she admitted to using a banned substance from September 2000 to July 2001 -- during the Sydney Olympic Games.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Karas ordered Jones to serve a six-month sentence -- the maximum under a plea agreement -- two years supervised probation and 400 hours of community service.

"I respect the judge's orders and I truly hope that people will learn from my mistakes," Jones said.

In New York, Karas said the prison sentence was necessary "because of the need for general deterrence and the need to promote respect for the law."

The judge said that as part of her community service he wanted Jones to "educate children and school-age athletes about the importance of competing without cheating," The New York Times reported.

Jones won Olympic gold medals in the 100 and 200 meter sprints and as part of the 1,600 relay and bronze medals in the 400 relay and long jump. She has returned the medals and money awards and retired from competitive track.