Track star Marion Jones sentenced to 6-month jail

The disgraced former athletics star is sentenced to six months in prison after admitting taking steroids in a doping scandal that cost the sprinter her Olympic medals.

Disgraced former athletics star Marion Jones was sentenced on Friday to six months in prison after admitting taking steroids in a doping scandal that cost the sprinter her Olympic medals.

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"The offenses here are serious. They each involve lies made three years apart," Judge Kenneth Karas said in passing sentence, adding that Jones had made "not a one-off mistake... but a repetition in an attempt to break the law.

"Nobody is above the legal obligation to tell the truth," he said, adding, "I recognise this is not a happy day for you or for your family."

Jones, 32, pleaded guilty in October to lying to federal agents over a steroid distribution scandal involving California laboratory BALCO and her role in a check fraud scheme.

An emotional Jones admitted in a statement to the court before sentencing she was "scared and nervous about today's outcome," breaking down in tears as she pleaded with the judge to spare her jail time.

"Yes I made mistakes by lying," she said. "I have admitted these too late but hopefully not too late to elicit from you the milk of human kindness."

Jones was also sentenced to two years' supervised release and 400 hours of community service.