Steroid probe seen widening

By Rob Gloster, Associated Press, 10/18/2003

SAN FRANCISCO -- The founder of a laboratory that provides nutritional supplements to some of America's top sports stars said yesterday that dozens of Olympic and professional athletes have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury probing the lab.

Victor Conte, whose Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative was raided in early September by agents of the Internal Revenue Service and a San Mateo County narcotics task force, said in an e-mail to The Associated Press he was told by athletes that 40 of them have been called to testify starting next week.

Conte said he has not been subpoenaed. But sprinter Kelli White, who has been associated with BALCO, told the San Francisco Chronicle she had received a grand jury subpoena.

Federal officials refused to comment yesterday on whether a grand jury was looking into the case.

In addition to being raided last month, an anonymous coach who turned in a used syringe containing a designer steroid to the US Anti-Doping Agency said he got the substance from Conte. The steroid turned out to be tetrahydrogestrinone, or THG.

Until recently, THG was undetectable in doping tests. After analyzing the substance and adjusting tests, USADA retested the samples of hundreds of track athletes and said several had tested positive for THG -- a violation that could lead to a two-year suspension. USADA chief executive officer Terry Madden said Thursday that the ongoing inquiry into THG use has expanded to include US professional sports. BALCO analyzes blood and urine from athletes, then prescribes a regimen of supplements to compensate for various vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Among its clients are Barry Bonds and the NFL's Bill Romanowski.