Drugs in Sports

Olympic gold-medalist Tim Montgomery has been indicted for dealing heroin, the Virginian-Pilot reports. “They said I sold 100 grams of heroin to an informant,” Montgomery told the paper in a jailhouse interview, noting that he has “no idea” why he’s been charged. The sprinter, now 33, was banned from track for doping and faces sentencing next month in a $5-million check-kiting case. More »

Testosterone injections are among the most common performance-enhancing drugs detected in athlete screenings, but some lucky competitors can take them without fear of exposure, the New York Times reports. Of 55 men given testosterone in a recent study, 17 came up clean on a drug test because they're missing the pair of genes that cause testosterone to dissolve in urine. More »

A personal trainer says he's the man portrayed in Jose Canseco’s latest tell-all as pushing steroids on Alex Rodriguez; but Joseph Dion—called "Max" in Vindicated —denies any juicing ever happened and says he’s “hurt in every way” by the insinuation. The trainer maintains that throughout their relationship, he and A-Rod were both decidedly anti-steroids, Sports Illustrated reports. More »

Angel Guillermo Heredia, the main witness for the federal case against elite track coach Trevor Graham, is prepared to give the names of about two dozen athletes to whom he supplied performance-enhancing drugs. Among the 12 Olympians on the list is Maurice Greene, a two-time gold medalist who has never failed a drug test, reports the New York Times. More »

Clubs and players agreed yesterday to toughen Major League Baseball's anti-doping policy, the AP reports. Players will be tested more frequently without notice, and the game's outside administrator—a position created in 2005 to oversee testing—will get more authority. As part of the deal, all of the players named in the Mitchell Report have been given amnesty. More »

Federal authorities unsealed an indictment yesterday that charges Dr. Ramon Scruggs and two associates with illegally prescribing performance-enhancing drugs to MLB players. One assertion made in the indictment is that players’ agents referred them to Scruggs, though no agents are named. The doctor, along with associates Allan Danto and Heidi Macpherson, faces 11 charges relating to the illegal distribution of the drugs. More »

The consequences of Marion Jones’ doping offenses reached further yesterday when the International Olympic Committee laid down the law and stripped her former relay teammates of their medals—this after Jones’ was stripped of hers late last year. The runners, with Jones, won gold in the 4x400-meter relay and bronze in the 400 relay at the 2000 Olympic Games. More »

Shane Mosley was perfectly aware he had taken steroids before defeating Oscar de la Hoya in 2003, claims convicted steroid dealer Victor Conte. "He knew what he was taking and I told him that before he took it," BALCO founder Conte said. The prizefighter says he never knowingly took steroids and is suing for libel, the LA Times reports. More »

If Roger Clemens wants to get any of his stuff back from ex-trainer Brian McNamee, all he has to do is log on to eBay. McNamee, who split with Clemens in the great steroids war, is putting up everything from autographed baseballs to hats to photographs of "all the steroid guys"—Clemens, Canseco, and Pettitte, the AP reports. He's donating the proceeds to his juvenile diabetes charity. More »

Former Bash Brother Jose Canseco has backed down from charges that Roger Clemens used more than workouts to pump his pitching arm. Contradicting what's written in his own books, "Juiced" and the upcoming "Vindicated," Canseco said in a TV interview that he now doesn't believe the Rocket used steroids, Newsday reports. More »

Jose Canseco, baseball’s most outspoken steroid user, suggests that reigning AL MVP Alex Rodriguez used performance-enhancing drugs in his new book Vindicated, reports the New York Post. This according to a Massachusetts-based writer, who found a copy yesterday in a local store, although it's not due for release until April 1. "I really have absolutely no reaction," was the Yankee slugger's response. More »

Human growth hormone certainly builds muscles, but it may not make athletes faster or stronger. "What we found suggested that it didn't help—and at some point, it might hurt," said the lead investigator on the Stanford research study. So why, the San Jose Mercury News wonders, do sports stars risk their careers by turning to HGH? More »

Marion Jones has entered a federal prison in Texas, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The disgraced former sprinter is beginning a 6-month sentence for lying to investigators about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and about her role in a check-fraud scam. She has already returned her Olympic gold medals and her name has been removed from the record books. More »

In the wake of Judge Susan Illston's order that Bonds' 2003 grand jury testimony be unsealed, following her critical deconstruction of the government's case, the Feds will be forced to rebuild their indictment against him. One thing they may reveal when they do is their claim of a second positive drug test, in addition the the previous one which from 2000 which they say they have, sources have told ESPN. More »

The government’s case against Barry Bonds hit a snag today, the San Francisco Chronicle reports, with a judge ruling that it included multiple offenses in four of the counts of perjury in the indictment of baseball's home-run king. The feds must rewrite or re-file the indictment, Judge Susan Illston said in calling them "duplicitous." More »

The FBI today began investigating whether Roger Clemens committed perjury when he told Congress that he never used performance-enhancing drugs, Bloomberg reports. The agency opened a preliminary review one day after a House panel told the Justice Department it suspected Clemens of lying. The pitcher insists he never took steroids or human growth hormone, but his former trainer says otherwise. More »

A congressional committee today asked the Justice Department to examine Roger Clemens’ denials under oath that he used performance-enhancing drugs and determine if they constitute perjury, the AP reports. In the letter to Attorney General Michael Mukasey, Reps. Henry Waxman and Tom Davis cite the pitcher's statements contradicting those of his former trainer and a teammate. More »

Roger Clemens arrived at the Houston Astros’ training camp determined to avoid questions about his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs. “Everything’s been said that needs to be said on that. We’re moving forward. It’s baseball time. We’re going to enjoy that,” the hurler said. It was the first time Clemens spoke with the press since his Feb. 13 congressional hearing, reports the Houston Chronicle . More »

The congressional panel that questioned Roger Clemens about steroids has drafted a letter asking the Justice Department to investigate whether he committed perjury, the New York Times reports. The letter doesn't name his former trainer, Brian McNamee, who testified the same day and insisted Clemens is lying, but that could change before the letter is submitted. More »

An 11-year-old fan's photo of Roger Clemens could mean trouble for the scandal-battered pitcher, especially if the congressional committee pursuing the steroids investigation refers the case to the Justice Department, the New York Daily News reports. The image is allegedly of Clemens at a 1988 party given by Jose Canseco, which he and Canseco have both testified he didn't attend. More »