Greg Anderson, the former personal trainer of Barry Bonds, has been released from federal prison. Anderson was reincarcerated on March 22, 2011 for contempt of court after refusing to testify during the Barry Bonds’ steroid-perjury trial. Judge Susan Illston had ordered Anderson incarcerated for the duration of the trial. The evidence portion of the perjury trial has ended and the fate of Barry Bonds rests in the hands of a federal jury as they deliberate the evidence against him. Anderson was released since his testimony is no longer needed. [Read more…]
Apr
08
The Big Business of Monitoring Anabolic Steroid Use
Something to think about the next time you read about the government parading baseball players on trial for steroid use or the latest steroids in sport scandal or cops on steroids investigation is “who benefits financially from all the hysteria generated over the evils of steroids?” When an athlete is caught doping, there are anti-doping agencies and anti-steroid education programs out there looking to capitalize with government funding. When a high school athlete is caught using steroids, there are drug-testing companies out there seeking to secure a contract for steroid testing in high schools. The steroid stories you read in the paper often result in a knee-jerk reaction of taxpayer money being spent. [Read more…]
Apr
07
Former PowerMedica Clients: Government May Tell Your Boss That You’re On Steroids
If the government finds out that you’re using anabolic steroids, it might tell your boss. This may have happened with some former clients of PowerMedica, a now-defunct hormone replacment clinic according to the South Florida Times. The newspaper obtained internal documents from the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) revealing that investigators carefully scrutinized the client list seized from PowerMedica during a steroid raid in 2005 in an effort to identify who the customers were and where they worked. [Read more…]
Apr
06
“We Are All Potential Victims of Roid Rage”
“We are all potential victims of roid rage” according to recent editorials published by New Scientist. The editorials are published in support of anabolic steroid harm reduction which advocates policies, including medical treatments, that reduce or prevent the harmful side effects associated with the non-medical use of anabolic steroids. Steroid harm reduction is often opposed by those who have a moral objection to steroid use.
New Scientist’s support of harm reduction is admirable. Unfortunately, rather than advocate harm reduction on its own merits, the op-eds seem intent on using hysteria to support the need for harm reduction. By suggesting that everyone is a “potential victim” of “roid rage”, the authors overstate the risk and prevalence of the steroid-induced aggression popularly called “roid rage”. [Read more…]
Apr
03
Cyclist and Journalist Banned for Testosterone Replacement Therapy Admission in Book
Amateur cyclist and writer Andrew Tilin was banned for two years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) after admitting that he used exogenous testosterone as part of a legal testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) regimen in his soon-to-be-released book. Tilin’s book, ‘The Doper Next Door: My Strange and Scandalous Year on Performance-Enhancing Drugs
‘, was written to explore the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) by the average Joe in contrast to most published accounts which focus on steroid use by professional and elite athletes. However, the majority of dopers are amateur and recreational athletes.
While writing about the motivations and experiences of these individuals, Tilin apparently decided to experiment with the banned substances on his own. The press releases and book descriptions suggest that Tilin simply used exogenous testosterone in what was described as “legal hormone replacement therapy”. It is unclear if Tilin’s book discussed his experiences with other PEDs. [Read more…]
Apr
02
Police Steroid Network Made Public After Internal Affairs Snitch Sues for Wrongful Termination
The details of a secret internal affairs investigation codenamed Operation Oklahoma in Australia have been made public several months after its conclusion. The investigation implicated eight police officers as well as local businessman and athletes. The investigation led to the firing and resignations of the “Tamworth four” which included the snitch who provided critical information about the steroid ring to investigators. Ironically, the details of Operation Oklahoma were only made public because the informant at the center of the investigation submitted an application for wrongful termination.
Former Constable Matthew Walsh became a “willing informant” for the New South Wales Police Integrity Commission during their two-year internal affairs investigation of a police network involved in the trafficking of anabolic steroids. Walsh provided assistance to investigators and agreed to provide court testimony against fellow officers implicated in the steroid trafficking ring. The Commission acknowledged his assistance with a “letter of comfort” that confirmed his willingly participation during the investigation. [Read more…]
Apr
01
Barry Bonds Has a Needle Phobia
Major League Baseball home run king Barry Bonds has a fear of needles according to testimony by his orthopedic surgeon at his perjury trial on Friday. Bonds dislike of having blood drawn for medical tests was so severe that he required small shots of novocaine prior to the procedure according to Dr. Arthur Ting. Most bodybuilders and veteran steroid users find such fears laughable among newcomers in the steroid subculture .
The defense is likely to use Bonds fear of needles to create reasonable doubt among the jury that Bonds was the recipient of any injections for non-medical purposes. The government believes that Bonds committed perjury when he told a 2003 grand jury investigating BALCO that he never received any injections from his personal trainer or anyone else other than a medical professional. The defense will their work cut out for them after Bonds’ former personal shopper provided eyewitness testimony that she observed Bonds receiving an injection from Greg Anderson; the likeable Kathy Hoskins made a very favorable impression on most observers in the courtroom and most likely the jury as well. [Read more…]
