The club have been approached about taking on the disgraced American sprinter, who was stripped of the five medals, including three gold, she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, after she admitted having taken banned performance-enhancing drugs.

Maher, said today Jones needed to get into "team training" after working out individually off-season with former Australian Olympic star Sandy Brondello at Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) club San Antonio with the aim of starting a new professional career having ruled out a return to track and field.

Maher, an Australian who splits his role with Britain's women's team with Bulleen, said that 34-year-old Jones may prefer to play in a lower-key league rather than going straight into the more competitive WNBA after a 13-year break from the sport.

Jones (pictured) was a NCAA championship-winning point guard in 1993 for North Carolina before deciding to concentrate on her athletics career.

Maher said: "Her connections feel it might be better to come to a league that focuses on development.

"She needs team as well as individual training now - five on five.

"We hang our hat on individual development .

"Of all clubs [in Australia] Bulleen holds itself as a cutting edge development club.

"Plus we have three Olympic coaches [himself, Michelle Timms and Gary Fox] - it's a no-brainer."

Under WNBL rules, Jones would be able to play Boomers home games, where 12 players are allowed to suit up.

Only ten are permitted for away games.

She would need a waiver from the league to be able to play finals, as she would not have played enough games to quality under current rules.

The WNBL season is played over 22 home and away rounds.

Maher claimed if Jones, who served six months this year in a Texas prison for perjury, went to Bulleen she would train with the club, and replace an injured player, rather than immediately displace a member of his team who finished as the runners-up in this year's Grand Final.

He said: "We're not having ongoing discussions.

"It was put to us and we considered it.

"It's a big call for her.

"There's wanting to do something and liking to do something.

"We're just going about our business.

"But it comes about, it would be a tremendous promotable opportunity."


Related stories
December 2009: Jones Sydney 100m gold medal to be left vacant
December 2009: Conte claims Jones still has not faced up to her drug past
December 2009: Disgraced sprinter Marion Jones planning a comeback
October 2008: Jones admits she knew she was lying