Marion Jones

New York: Federal investigators met this week with the former husband of Olympic champion Marion Jones, The San Jose Mercury News reported on its website on Friday.

The newspaper, quoting two anonymous sources familiar with the situation, said the investigators met with C. J. Hunter, a former shot putter who tested positive for steroids four times in 2000 — when he was married to Jones.

Representatives for Jones, who won an unprecedented five track medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and has hinted she may try to match that this summer at the Athens Games, could not immediately be reached early Friday morning by the associated press.

Jones met with US Anti-Doping Agency officials last month to discuss possible drug evidence against her, and received a letter from the agency Tuesday asking follow-up questions.

She has repeatedly denied drug use and has vowed to fight any USADA charges.

It was unclear whether hunter told the federal investigators anything about Jones.

Hunter’s drug tests showed the 1999 world champion had 1,000 times the allowable amount of the steroid Nandrolone in his system. His nutritionist, Victor Conte, claimed at a news conference at the 2000 Olympics that the positive tests were the result of contaminated iron supplements.

Conte, who also has worked with Jones, is the founder of the bay area laboratory co-operative, allegedly at the heart of a ring that distributed steroids to top athletes. Conte and three other men have pleaded innocent to charges including drug distribution.

Hunter, now a strength coach at North Carolina state, could help investigators clear up questions about a $7,350 check written from Jones’ bank account to Conte in September 2000.

The New York Times has reported that the check was written by Hunter and the signature appeared to be from him.

Jones was married to hunter for nearly three years. They separated in June 2001 and divorced shortly after. In a news conference this week in the Czech republic, where she was competing in a track meet, Jones admitted to making poor decisions in the past.

“Once I found out what my ex-husband did, or was alleged to have done, I parted ways,” Jones said.