"They Cheated. They Stole. They Lied!" - Moral conundrum for the IOC

Swimming World has an article/polemic comparing the Marion Jones steroid scandal with the 1972-1976 GDR (East German) Olympic Team. Therein, it states that Marion Jones will have to return her Olympic medals whereas the East German Olympians who were knowingly or unknowingly doped will get to keep their medals.

It all has to do with this "statute of limitations thingy" that the IOC has adopted. If you go 8-years without being "discovered", you are immune to IOC retribution. Marion Jones was within her alloted 8-year time limit whereas the GDR was a quarter-century into theirs.

Inevitably the name Shirley Babashoff comes up and a quote from her as well.

I have never understood the "statute of limitations." Perhaps everyone at one time or another has made a really bad choice or a very self-interested decision that violated a law. Let's presume they did nothing to cover up the crime; (heavy emphasis on the assumption that they did nothing to cover up the crime), no one was physically hurt, and they subsequently moved on and led a good life. Should these people be punished, selectively punished, or simply forgiven? The IOC has chosen the latter. Swimming World wishes they would have chosen the former. [Link]

The photo is of: Ender, Kornelia (Britannica Student Encyclopedia) (born 1958). East German swimmer Kornelia Ender was the first woman to win four gold medals in one Olympic Games.