Track star Marion Jones vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs for years, lashing out every time another accusation surfaced.

Apparently, it was all an act.

A winner of five medals, including three golds at the 2002 Sydney Olympics, Jones pleaded guilty Friday in federal court to charges connected to steroid use. The charismatic star reportedly also sent a letter to friends and family, apologizing for deceiving them.

Of course, as we know, Jones isn't the first athlete to admit to using banned substances to gain a competitive edge - she just adds to a list that includes Lyle Alzado, Jose Canseco and Bill Romanowski.

Now that Jones has come clean, so to speak, JOHN MARSHALL and BERNADETTE TUAZON revisit the small but growing number of prominent athletes who diverted from the din of denials to go the mea culpa route in this asap slideshow.

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Watch the slideshow here: http://asap.ap.org/data/interactives/_sports/steroids_gallery/

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John Marshall is asap's Denver-based sports reporter. Bernadette Tuazon is asap's senior photo editor.