Trevor Graham indicted in doping scandal; faces up to 15 years in prison
Posted November 9th, 2006 at 2:30 PM by Anuradha Kher
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports
Track coach Trevor Graham was charged on November 2nd with three counts of making false statements to federal agents in an indictment issued by the grand jury investigating performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports. Coming week, on November 15th he will attend his arraignment in the US District Court. If convicted he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.
Three years ago, Graham anonymously mailed a syringe containing “the clear,” a previously undetectable steroid to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, Graham acknowledged mailing the drug. He was quoted in the Associated Press saying: “I was just a coach doing the right thing at the time.” He did not say why he turned in the syringe or how he got the material.
According to the indictment, Graham lied to federal investigators in 2004 when he told them he didn’t provide his athletes with performance enhancing drugs. The indictment also said he obtained those drugs from a person identified only as “Source A” and that he:
Provided them to athletes he was coaching and also referred athletes he was coaching to Source A to obtain illegal performance-enhancing drugs directly from Source A.
Although the indictment did not identify the source referred to in the indictment, The New York Times reported in July this year that former Mexican discus thrower Angel Guillermo Heredia, who worked with Graham, told the grand jury he supplied performance-enhancing drugs to the coach and many of his athletes, including Montgomery, Jones and her ex-husband C.J. Hunter, and sprinter Michelle Collins.
Graham was granted immunity for his cooperation but not from prosecution for making false statements, according to prosecutors.
San Francisco U.S. Attorney Kevin Ryan said:
Last week’s charges demonstrate this office’s ongoing commitment to investigate and prosecute not only those involved in the illegal doping of our nation’s athletes, but also those who lie to federal agents involved in a criminal investigation.
Graham’s Raleigh-based attorney Joseph Zeszotarski said his client was innocent and has cooperated with federal authorities.
According to the November 2nd indictment, authorities are:
[I]nvestigating potential instances of perjury and false statements to government agencies made by various witnesses who were interviewed by federal agents and who testified before the grand jury.
Almost a dozen athletes have been associated with Trevor, who have faced drug charges. Graham’s star pupils include Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and Justin Gatlin. Graham operates Raleigh, N.C.-based Sprint Capitol USA, a team of about 10 athletes that includes Gatlin, the 100-meter co-world record holder who tested positive for testosterone and other steroids in April. Graham also coached sprinters Jones, who won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Games, and her ex-boyfriend, Montgomery, formerly the world’s fastest man. He was suspended from competition for two years, although he never has tested positive for a banned substance.
Sources: [MSNBC], [ESPN via A.P. News Wire]
Picture from: [news.ch]
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Tags: angel guillermo heredia, BALCO, doping, indictment, justin gatlin, Marion Jones, performance enhancing drugs, steroids, testosterone, the clear, Tim Montgomery, track and field, trevor graham
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