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It appears that Marion Jones will have to surrender her medals from the 2000 Olympics for taking banned substances. What about the East German athletes from the 70s and 80s? Stasi files from those times identify athletes who were taking banned drugs. Shouldn't those athletes surrender their medals as well? I'm sure that American athletes, such as John Powell and Frank Shorter, would love to move up in the standings.

I read somewhere that the Olympic Committee looks back just 8 years in medal give backs. At this point is would be impossible to "prove" that some of the "eastern block" athletes took performance enhancing drugs in the 70's and 80. it is generally "common knowledge" that they did - but proving it is not possible at this point. Many athletes have been cheated out of medals by those using drugs. T
his is true for masters as well as for elite athletes. Drug testing of masters is limited - It is done at the WMA meets, and some European meets but this is fairly recent. Records have been set at WMA (WAVA) meets by athletes who were suspected of using drugs. Sometimes world records were set - making is very difficult for non-drug using athletes to reach those marks. But without a positive drug test- it is all speculation. Records are set at non-WMA meets, certified as world or national records, and no drug testing takes place. Are all of these athletes clean? Who knows - the sad thing is that because of the drug cheating among elite athletes, suspicion spills over onto all who set records - a sad legacy indeed.
As for giving back medals by Marion Jones - and awarding them to those whom she cheated, that is opening a can of worms - some of those who were "victimized" by Jones, have themselves subsequently been suspended for drug use or failure to report for drug testing. The cheat cheated a cheater. Pathetic