Posted on 02/14/2008 7:02:46 PM PST by Pharmboy
U.S. baseball home run king Barry Bonds tested positive for steroids in November 2000, months before his record 73rd home run season, U.S. prosecutors said on Thursday.
The allegation came in a legal filing in his steroid perjury case which referred to Bonds' long-time trainer, Greg Anderson.
"At trial, the government's evidence will show that Bonds received steroids from Anderson in the period before the November 2000 positive drug test, and that evidence raises the inference that Anderson gave Bonds the steroids that caused him to test positive in November 2000," U.S. Attorney Joseph Russoniello wrote.
Russoniello, acting for the U.S. government, made the assertion in a document that asked a federal court to reject Bonds' motion last month to dismiss the charges that he lied about past steroid use.
Dennis Riordan, one of Bonds' lawyers, said the slugger's defense team would respond to the filing by next Thursday and would not have immediate comment on Thursday.
In December, the record seven-time National League Most Valuable Player pleaded not guilty to lying to a federal grand jury in 2003 when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
He testified in the BALCO sports steroid case, which ended up jailing his personal trainer, Anderson, and the head of the BALCO lab near San Francisco.
The latest government motion also referred to a question by a prosecutor during the BALCO case to "determine why Bonds apparently tested positive for anabolic steroids in November 2000."
To date, prosecutors have revealed little about the evidence they have in the case against Bonds, the greatest hitter of his era long dogged by suspicions about doping.
The motion to dismiss the case has prompted prosecutors to reveal a bit more of their hand.
They referred to a calendar "that showed that 'BB' received steroids in December 2001." The filing further alleged that Bonds discussed or took human growth hormone.
Referring to a question as to whether Anderson talked to Bonds about or gave him human growth hormone, Bonds said no. "The government will show at trial only that Bonds' answer to that portion of the question is knowingly false," the motion said.
The latest details to emerge in the ever-widening baseball doping scandal came just a day after Roger Clemens, one of the greatest pitchers in Major League Baseball history, clashed under oath with his former trainer at a congressional hearing over the trainer's claims he injected Clemens with illegal performance-enhancing drugs.
A U.S. federal judge in San Francisco is expected to hold a hearing on Bonds' motion to dismiss the case on February 29.
(Editing by Todd Eastham)
/yawn
Wow! This is pretty hard to believe.
Well said.
IF this info is true...who covered it up - and WHY was it covered up, until NOW?
At first I thought this was a financial article. LOL
I forget, why is the government involved in baseball?
It’s amazing how the NFL avoids any scrutiny on this issue. Wasn’t superstar and Nike ad guy Shawne Merriman suspended for part of the season for steroids? Rodney Harrison for HGH? I don’t see the Feds going after them playing their silly “perjury” games like they are with Bonds and Clemens.
Prior to 2002, MLB had no official policy on steroid use. Which makes me wonder why Bonds even took the test.
The gubmint’s interest in MLB steroid use is/was that until recently, MLB had no policy or enforcement on steroids, while the NFL has long had both.
I just read a report that said this is not true and was caused by a typo.
How about, because these idiots are using drugs, the wannabees use the drugs right down to the age of early teens.
Like it or not, sports is a major component of the American culture. If you want to see our culture destroyed, support drug use in professional sports. If you give a rat's ass, support zero tolerance.
“Prior to 2002, MLB had no official policy on steroid use. Which makes me wonder why Bonds even took the test.”
Sorry, Charlie...
“Commissioner Fay Vincent sent the clubs a memo in 1991 reminding them that players were forbidden from taking any illegal substance. He specifically mention steroids in the memo and encouraged the clubs to take a get-tough policy on players thought to be using steroids.
There was no testing for steroids until 2003 (after being part of the 2002 labor agreement).
The notion that Bonds wasn’t breaking any rules is ridiculous. He was. He knew he was.”
Richard Justice
Houston Chronicle
March 14, 2006
I believe this part of your post supports my assertion that there was no policy. Vincent "encouraged" the clubs to get tough, and there was no testing. Not what I call a policy. Certainly no enforcement.
I forget, why is the government involved in regulating street traffic?
what part of “players were forbidden from taking any illegal substance. He specifically mention steroids in the memo”
gezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
the I.Q. ‘round here drops by the minute!!!
Sorry, don’t give a rat’s a*ss
DAMN!
at least have the class to say “I stand corrected.”
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