RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters):

FORMER TRIPLE Olympic champion Marion Jones will miss this weekend's World Cup in Athens after announcing yesterday she had decided to end her season.

"Unfortunately, I just don't feel that my race conditioning is there," Jones said in a statement issued by her general counsel, Rich Nichols.

"I am honoured to have been selected to compete on the United States World Cup team, but I have always said that if I am not ready to compete in top form, I won't get on the track."

The U.S. champion was scheduled to run in the 100 metres in Athens. Torri Edwards is her likely replacement.

Cleared of doping charges

Jones's lawyers announced last week she had been cleared of doping after her B sample tested negative for the banned blood-boosting drug EPO.

Jones's initial sample had tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO) at the U.S. championships in Indianapolis in June. Had the second sample matched the first, the 30-year-old could have faced a two-year ban from the sport.

Jones's manager, Charles Wells, said last week Jones was planning to compete in the World Cup and in a meeting in Shanghai later this month. She has not competed since July 28.

"I was in top condition when my season was interrupted more than three weeks ago by the leak of the positive A sample." Jones said.

"August and September is the peak of each track season, and it's the races that keep you sharp and in race shape.

"I was ready but missed top August competitions in Zurich, Monaco and Brussels and it has been more than six weeks since I raced."