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[SAMPLE ISSUE] TRACK PROFILE REPORT #79 13-February-2004 [Note: Edited 14-Feb-2004] [ The TRACK PROFILE REPORT is written, compiled and edited by Bob Ramsak. Copyright (c) 2004 by Bob Ramsak and TRACK PROFILE. All rights reserved. Reproduction, republication, reposting and retransmission in ANY form is strictly prohibited without express permission from the editor. Small portions may be reproduced ONLY if accompanied by source citation and *ADVANCE* notice in writing to Track Profile. Please contact the editor at bob@trackprofile.com for reprint permission. ] ----- ----------------------------------------- The TRACK PROFILE Report is sponsored in part by Shooting Star Media, Inc., publisher of the magazines American Track & Field, ATF Athletes Only, and California Track & Running News. Besides its publications, Shooting Star Media manages three websites and is an advertising representative for The Running Network, a group of 28 regional and national specialty running magazines. American Track & Field [ http://www.american-trackandfield.com ] is a professional magazine geared to coaches, athletes and enthusiasts of track & field, race walking, road racing and cross country running. Links to all Shooting Star Media publications can be found on its website at http://www.shootingstarmediainc.com . ------ ----------------------------------------- ----------------------- [01] - BALCO Indictments Set the Tone for the Olympic Year; Greek Athletes Implicated ----------------------- Track & field hit the front pages this morning, but it was certainly not the type of publicity the sport, it's athletes or fans necessarily wanted as the Olympic year gathers steam. But with a high profile coach and several big-name athletes enmeshed in the ongoing BALCO saga, yesterday's announcement of a 42-count indictment probing the distribution of anabolic steroids is very likely to set the tone for the sport for the rest of the year. After an 18-month investigation into the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, a nutritional testing and supplement company, federal prosecutors yesterday indicted the lab's President and Chief Operating Officer, Victor Conte, and it's Vice President, James Valente, on multiple charges related to the distribution of anabolic steroids and money laundering. Also named were personal trainer Greg Anderson and northern California-based track coach Remi Korchemny. Conte and Valente appeared on 35 of the indictments, Anderson on 20, and Korchemny on 13. All pled innocent this morning during a 14-minute court appearance in San Francisco. A hearing was set for Feb. 27. While Anderson's close relationship with baseball superstar Barry Bonds shifted much of the attention to America's pastime, track & field's reputation certainly took a bit hit, with more presumably on the way. Indeed, much of a 52-page affidavit made public yesterday refers specifically to track & field, and it is presumed that much of the evidence gathered was based on testimony provided by several top track athletes who appeared before the Grand Jury over the past several months. Missing from the document, filed by Jeff Novitzky, a criminal investigator with the Internal Revenue Service, are athlete's identities and a specific source of the steroids, suggesting that the current case aims, at best, to net the "middlemen" involved. But with a sprinkling of clues, vague references to national and Olympic champions and world record holders, the document sparks considerable speculation as to who precisely Conte may have been dealing with. Those names and others may still emerge, either in court testimony or in federal documents requested by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Armed with substantial evidence, first gathered while sifting through BALCO's trash and later through Conte's emails, Novitzky painted a picture not entirely unworthy of a TV whodunit. His correspondences are replete with code names for substances, requests for confidentiality and instructions on the routing of payments, while at the same time revealing his extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of steroid use, it's testing and concealment. First brought to public attention in October with the announcement that THG, a previously undetectable steroid had been "discovered," the issue was brought into national prominence -and into the political spotlight- when President George W. Bush spoke out against the use of steroids in sports during his State of the Union Address on Jan. 21. Yesterday, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the indictments during a press conference in Washington D.C., an event reported on every major news broadcast last night, and on virtually every newspaper front page today. With the most prominent national political leaders including themselves in the case, yesterday's indictments are clearly just the beginning. But the IRS investigation began well before Conte's lab was identified as the possible source of THG. Citing information that numerous "world-class professional athletes were ...illegally receiving anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs," the affidavit reads, "and having their steroid intake monitored by persons associated with Balco Laboratories," an investigation was launched in August 2002. Over the course of 18 months, Novitzky gathered evidence that BALCO was distributing not only anabolic steroids, but human growth hormone (HGH) and the endurance-boosting erythropoietin, or EPO, as well. While rummaging through the lab's garbage, Novitzky also found scores of vials labeled to contain the human growth hormone serostin, the anabolic steroids testosterone and Oxandrin, and Epogen and Procrit, prescription forms of EPO. Subpoenaed records from Stericycle, a medical waste transport company used by BALCO, indicated that epogen, testosterone, and Nutropin and Genotropin, prescription forms of human growth hormone, were removed from the lab. Several vials whose labels were removed, and several used syringes collected from Stericycle were later analyzed as having contained testosterone and stanozol. The affidavit also claims that BALCO was "marketing a scheme to distribute and administer drugs that mask the presence of steroids in the blood and urine of athletes," notably through the use of Epitestosterone. Records of financial transactions involving track and field athletes show payments in excess of $5,000 to Conte's personal bank account, many far exceeding the costs of BALCO's legitimate nutritional and blood testing services. But the most intriguing reading in the affidavit is found in the correspondences, allegedly sent from various accounts believed to be used by Conte, to several clients. While some could be described as circumstantial, others are damning. The scope of Conte's alleged operation is dramatically spelled out on one email, dated Aug. 20, 2002, sent to "an international track and field coach," in which he asks the coach to warn athletes about new tests. The redacted names are identified as "an Olympic gold medal winner and more than one world record holder." "I am sending you this email from a new more confidential email address," the email reads. "Please use this for all confidential communication. I need for you to advise [REDACTED] to discontinue using the clear. I recently found out that [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] sent a sample of the clear to IOC testers on an anonymous basis." "The clear" is believed to be his code name for THG. "This is very unfortunate," the email continues. "I have someone on the inside that recently gave me the headsup regarding this matter. I will be getting more information shortly regarding this matter. However, it seems as though it may be either the Grand Prix or possibly at the World Cup. Apparently, [REDACTED] and company saw the performances of [REDACTED], and [REDACTED] and realized that money was getting ready to be taken from [REDACTED], [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] and they became desperate." The message continues with a reference that might unsettle the nerves of Greek athletics officials just 188 days before the start of the athletics program of the Olympic Games. "We might also want to somehow get this information to the coach for the Greek athletes [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] so that nobody tests positive. They seem to be ready to charge athletes on a "related substances" charge. This is simply a result of them having a sample so that they can create a standard to identify the substance. This is why it is so important to work only with athletes that can be completely trusted. We already have a new one that we are working with that should be available in a couple of months. It is still okay for [REDACTED] to use the white cream. I will respond to your questions about the SNAC products from the other email address. The good news is that we got a headsup in time to prevent any positive test results." SNAC Systems Incorporated, a BALCO sister company that operates from the same building, did have an operation, or at least a web-based enterprise, in Greece. As late as Oct. 17, the site, www.snacsystem.gr, was still available, but has since been blocked. Another email from the same "international track coach," sent on June 28, 2003, includes a reference to modafinil, the sleep disorder medication that entered the drug-testing lexicon last August when it was detected in world 100 and 200m champion Kelli White's urine sample at the World Championships. White, along with sprinter Dwain Chambers of Great Britain, who has tested positive for THG, is coached by Korchemny. "I'm sending you the latest schedule of Anti-doping list," the email reads. "As you can see at the Stimulant list Modafinil is on it!!! Of course after Catlin's Norbolethone detection this AAS is also included. I guess the party is over." Norbolethone is an anabolic steroid that was first synthesized in 1966, but was never marketed nor reported by testing labs. Dr. Don Catlin, the head of the drug testing lab at UCLA, detected the substance in an athlete's test in summer 2002. While no other mention of modafinil is made in the affidavit, it's inclusion on the list passed along to Conte in late June indicates that is was known not only to the sender of the email, but also to drug testing labs well before the World Championships. Nothing in the affidavit suggests, however, that modafinil is more than the "minor stimulant" that it was initially declared in August, nor that it was, or could be used for masking purposes. The illegal distribution of modafinil is, however, mentioned in the indictments. In a late August 2002 exchange with "another elite track and field athlete," Conte not only dispenses advice, but communicates some personal concerns as well. "I have access to a testosterone gel," the athlete wrote to Conte, in an email with the header, "Re: Gel." "I was told I could use this on the thy [sic]. I would need to stay there for 4 hours. I'm wondering if I can use the cream that I already have? Let me know...I will be getting my testosterone results maybe today or tomorrow." In his reply, dated Aug. 27, 2002, Conte advises, "Do not use the testosterone gel. It will cause a positive test result by elevating the T/E ratio. Whoever told you that it is ok is a complete idiot. You are already getting what you need from the cream, which will not elevate the ratio and you know why. Have you gone cuckoo! Have you been hanging out with [REDACTED]? Please understand that too much is just as bad as not enough." Perhaps attempting to placate the athlete's fears and lift their spirits, Conte concludes, "You are ready to rumble. It is time to run in the 49's." The last sentence suggests the athlete is either an up-and-coming male 400m hurdler, or, more likely, a top-level female 400m sprinter. The athlete replied, calming Conte's worries. "You have to understand the person that gave me this didn't know that I already had the cream," they wrote. "I haven't used it, so don't worry. I would never use any product without checking on it first. I haven't used the cream in a while since before and after Zurich, so I thought it wouldn't interfere with the cream since it wasn't used on the same day or around the same time." Conte replied with a more detailed description of how testosterone is delivered into the system, and concluded, "There would be significant risk in using the gel. You already have a safe and effective program, so why take the risk?" In a postscript, he added, "The lab said that you appeared to be dehydrated because you had an elevated hematocrit and you know the reason why. You are going to run very fast on Friday!" The Friday competition was the Aug. 30 Ivo Van Damme Memorial in Brussels. The reference to hematocrit suggests EPO. The affidavit also shed new light on the "discovery" of THG, and provided evidence somewhat in conflict to what has already been widely reported. On Aug. 19 of last year, Novitzky visited the headquarters of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) with a subpoena in hand. Rich Wanninger, the agency's Director of Communications and Public Affairs, told Novitzky he received a phone call from a "known track and field news reporter" who said he was in touch with an individual who had information about the "distribution and production of an undetectable performance-enhancing substance." This was the first reference of the involvement of an anonymous reporter. The next day, Wanninger received a call from the informant, who claimed that Conte and BALCO were producing the steroid, and that they were also making HGH and EPO available to athletes. He also identified by name several athletes who had used the substances, and said that a coach was also involved. Later that day, the informant called again to tell Wanninger that he had a used syringe containing the substance available. He mailed it, and USADA received it the next day. A sample of the fluid was sent to Catlin, who eventually identified it as THG. The affidavit states that five re-screenings for THG from June's USATF championships resulted in positive tests, but only four US athletes have since been identified. Novitzky said three of the four had a relationship with Conte. Another indication that BALCO may have been involved with substances other that THG came in a Nov. 20, 2002 email from Conte, with the subject header, "Re: EPO." "How can I take advantage of the connection you have for the E without a lot of risk?" Conte asked a track coach. "Any ideas? Do you and [REDACTED] plan to come here any time soon? We've changed some of the protocols for the L and C. I am sure that the Dynepo is coming soon. It is being held up by a lawsuit in England. I know it will be coming sometime soon, so please keep checking on a regular basis." In a postscript, Conte verifies his preference for code in correspondence. "The alphabet is I, E, S, G plus L=liquid, C=cream," he wrote. "L and C is what I gave you for your triple jumper. S is what they take before competition readily available in Greece." He concludes with another warning. "And remember that all emails are saved for a very long time, so be careful about how you say what you say. Searches for keywords like "anabolic" and many others are going on at all times by big brother." Apparently, Conte was right. -ENDS- |
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