Marion Jones was once the cover girl for the Summer Olympics.

She represented her country, her sport, and female athletes with grace, strength and style and won five medals in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Now she can almost certainly kiss those medals goodbye.

The track star has admitted to using steroids during those Summer Games and is expected to plead guilty today in New York to two counts of lying to federal agents about her drug use.

Jones said she took the steroid known as "the clear" for two years beginning in 1999, according to the letter, which was read to The Washington Post by a person who had been given a copy of it. A person familiar with Jones's legal situation who requested anonymity confirmed the relevant facts that were described in the letter.

"I want to apologize for all of this," she said, according to the person reading the letter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I am sorry for disappointing you all in so many ways."

I have little doubt that Jones' back was up against the wall and her only option was to come clean, because that seems to be the only reason why athletes and stars admit to guilt these days (i.e. Michael Vick) ... when there is simply no other option out.

It's rational to believe that Marion Jones didn't know that she was cheating, that she simply took whatever her trainers were feeding her. However, Jones has been adamant in press conferences and interviews, insisting that she never, ever, not once took performance enhancing drugs.

Never say never.

Obviously, she wasn't so "sure" while she was saying "never."

Jones will most likely be stripped of her five Olympic medals, including two golds, and could face a prison sentence. How does a woman who was once on top of the world hit rock bottom like this?