Marion Jones targetting return to pro sport in WNBA

SHAMED American sprinter Marion Jones has targetted a return to professional sport in the women's NBA.

COMEBACK: Disgraced American sprinter Marion Jones has an eye on a basketball career in the women's NBA (Getty Images)

The 34-year old spent six months in prison last year after lying to federal authorities about her steroid use and her involvement in a fraud case against former boyfriend Tim Montgomery.

But having regained her freedom in September 2008, Jones has been training in San Antonio with half an eye on a basketball career.

And the American, who wants to play in Europe this winter before the WNBA next season, admitted it would be the chance to redeem for mistakes in the past.

"It would give me an opportunity to get a second chance," Jones revealed to the New York Times.

"It's important for people to know that it's possible to make a mistake in your life, but it's what you do after the mistake that people are going to remember you by.

"Are you going to make whatever negatives that happened in your life a positive? Are you going to disappear? That has certainly never been in my horizon.

"How can I use my experience, my story, to help people and in the process hop on this journey of trying to make a team?"

San Antonio Silver Stars coach Dan Hughes refused to comment on whether the five-time Olympic medallist, who returned her medals after admitting to taking banned anabolic steroid tetrahydrogestirone (THG) prior to the Games, would join his squad for the new season.

But the American, who retired from athletics after being handed a two-year ban by the IAAF, has a strong background in the game, having started as point guard for the national championship-winning North Carolina College team in 1994.

And Jones isn't the first disgraced sprinter to try and resurrect their career in another sport.

Britain's Dwain Chambers chanced his hand at careers in American football (with the San Francisco Tigers and Hamburg Sea Devils) and rugby league (with the Castleford Tigers) before his return to the track.

View Gerard Meagher's comprehensive countdown of Olympic drug scandals HERE.