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Jones not ruling out 2012 Olympic return

Marion Jones is keen to make the most of her second chance in sport © Getty Images

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Former Olympic sprint champion Marion Jones has refused to rule out a return to athletics for the 2012 Olympics in London.

Twenty months ago Jones walked out of a Texas jail after serving a six-month sentence for lying to federal investigators. As a shamed symbol of Olympian doping and deceit she was forced to hand back her five Olympic medals.

Despite this, the 34-year-old feels she is not too old to compete in London in two years' time after a long break from competitive action in any sport.

"I don't think I'm too old but it's not necessarily one of my goals," Jones told the Telegraph. "I don't think at this point about it."

Jones is set to complete a controversial return to sport by making her debut for Tulsa Shock in the Women's NBA this weekend. The American's return to the sporting arena has already split opinion but Jones insists she is ready to make the most of her second chance.

"I felt blessed to be given this second chance in sport. And it made me think 'if people can hear my story, and think how far I've travelled in such a short time, it could act as incredible inspiration for them.'

"With this bigger stage, I want to use this opportunity to share my life experiences and to show that, hey, we all make mistakes but it's really what you do afterwards that hopefully you'll be judged by.

"I am fully aware there are people out there who don't want to see this happen, who'd really like for me to just quietly disappear but I really can't spend too much being concerned about them."

Jones has followed the plight of Dwain Chambers, who recovered from his own drugs shame to become a world champion again, and says she has taken heart from his return to sport.

"I've followed Dwain's story a little bit. You don't realise that in a situation like his how much heart and guts it takes to get back out there and compete again."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.