Tweet
Barry Bonds reportedly tells the court he used a cream that he wasn't aware was a designer steroid.
Barry Bonds' legendary career apparently forever will be tainted.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported on its website Thursday night that Bonds told a federal grand jury he used a clear substance and cream that he did not know were steroids.
A seven-time Most Valuable Player and just 53 home runs shy of breaking Hank Aaron's all-time record, the 40-year-old Bonds always had publicly denied taking performance-enhancing drugs.
According to the report, Bonds' revelation came out during testimony on December 4, 2003 in the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative steroids case.
Bonds testified he received and used clear and cream substances from his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, during the 2003 baseball season but was told they were nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a rubbing balm for arthritis.
During testimony, federal prosecutors confronted Bonds with documents indicating he had used steroids and a human growth hormone, but the San Francisco Giants' star denied the allegations.
The documents, many with Bonds' name on them, are dated from 2001 to 2003. Bonds set the single-season home run record with 73 in 2001.
Bonds' attorney, Michael Rains, told the paper he was not surprised his client's testimony came out.
"My view has always been this case has been the U.S vs. Bonds, and I think the government has moved in certain ways in a concerted effort to indict my client," Rains said. "And I think their failure to indict him has resulted in their attempts to smear him publicly."
According to the report, a transcript shows that before he testified, Bonds was told he would not be prosecuted for any crimes he admitted as long as he told the truth to the grand jury. But if he lied under oath, he could face prosecution for perjury.
Earlier Thursday, the newspaper reported New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi also testified he injected himself with a human growth hormone.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig responded to the report with the following statement:
"This once again demonstrates the need to implement a tougher and more effective major league drug-testing program. I have instructed (executive vice president of labor relations) Rob Manfred to look into this situation and to continue working with the Players Association to have a drug-testing program that mirrors the very effective policy we have in the minor leagues.
"I will leave no stone unturned in accomplishing our goal of zero tolerance by the start of spring training and am confident we will achieve this goal."
Fresh off winning his fourth straight MVP, Bonds has 703 career homers. He just 11 shy of tying Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time list.
Anderson, BALCO founder Victor Conte, lab vice president James Valente and track coach Remi Korchemny were charged with taking part in a steroid distribution ring that provided illegal substances to professional athletes. All four have pleaded not guilty.
Bonds, Giambi and Gary Sheffield of the Yankees were among those to testify in the investigation.
Bonds by the Numbers
.362
Barry Bonds' league-leading batting average
.812
Bonds' slugging percentage, leading second-place Albert Pujols by 155 points
.609
Bonds' on-base percentage, leading second-place Todd Helton by 140 points
45
Number of home runs for Bonds, four more than his strikeout total
120
Intentional walks issued to Bonds, equalling the next seven major-league leaders combined.
Source: AP
Comment