Track coach to be indicted in BALCO scandal

November 2nd, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO, California - Two U.S. Justice Department officials said a San Francisco grand jury will charge a track and field coach with obstructing a doping investigation.

Track coach Trevor Graham, who helped launch a three-year federal probe of steroid use by elite athletes, is to be charged with obstructing the investigation.

The officials said Trevor Graham, coach of sprinters Marion Jones, Justin Gatlin, Tim Montgomery and other Olympic medal winners, were expected to be charged with making false statements to investigators regarding a case he helped bring to light in 2003, the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News reported Thursday.

Graham had sent a syringe containing traces of steroids to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in 2003, claiming it came from Balco Laboratories.

One of the sprinters trained by Graham told the grand jury investigating the matter that the coach sold illegal drugs to the athlete. Additionally, former discus thrower Angel Guillermo Heredia told the grand jury he helped Graham acquire performance-enhancing drugs for his athletes.

Graham has denied any wrongdoing.