One day after it was revealed that Jason Giambi admitted using steroids, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Barry Bonds has also been implicated.
According to the newspaper report, Bonds told a federal grand jury that he used a clear substance and cream supplied by BALCO, but that he did not know they were steroids.
Prosecutors charge that BALCO has distributed undetectable steroids to elite athletes in the form of a clear substance taken orally and a cream that is rubbed onto the body.
In his testimony, Bonds reportedly said he received and used the substances, which were given to him by his personal trainer, Greg Anderson, during the 2003 season. Bonds says Anderson told him they were nutritional supplement flaxseed oil and a rubbing balm for athritis.
The Chronicle reported that prosecutors confronted during his testimony a year ago with documents showing he had used steroids and human growth hormone.
Prosecutors presented Bonds with documents detailing a long list of drugs he used, including human growth hormone, Depo-Testosterone, and undetectable steroids. The documents were dated from 2001 through 2003.
Bonds' attorney, Michael Rains, told the Chronicle he was upset that his client's secret testimony had been revealed.
"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."
During his testimony, Bonds said he had never paid Anderson for steroids, and never knowingly used them.
He also said Anderson "wouldn't jeopardize our friendship" by giving him steroids without his knowledge.
"Greg and I are friends," Bonds told the grand jury. "I never paid Greg for anything. ... You're going to bring up documents and more documents. I have never seen anything written by Greg Anderson on a piece of paper."
Bonds insisted that as far as he knew, Anderson gave him only legal products.
"I never asked Greg" about what the products contained, Bonds testified in the papers, according to the Chronicle. "When he said it was flaxseed oil, I just said, 'Whatever.'
"It was in the ballpark ... in front of everybody. I mean, all the reporters, my teammates. I mean, they all saw it. I didn't hide it."
Also, according to the report, other players admitted using performance enhancing drugs acquired from Anderson. They were former Giants Armando Rios, Benito Santiago and Bobby Estalella, and they all said they got to know Anderson because he was Bonds' trainer.
Yankees slugger Gary Sheffield testified that while he trained with Bonds in 2002, Bonds arranged for him to get the cream, the clear and a steroid pill called red beans. Like Bonds, Sheffield also said he didnt know the substances were steroids.
"Nothing was between me and Greg. Barry pretty much controlled everything," Sheffield testified. "... It was basically Barry (saying), 'Trust me, do what I do.'
"... I know I've seen Greg give Barry the same thing I was taking. I didn't see him taking those red beans, but I seen him taking this (clear) and this cream here."
Bonds testified that he got little help from Anderson's products, the Chronicle reported.
"And I was like, to me, it didn't even work," he told the grand jury. "You know me, I'm 39 years old. I'm dealing with pain. All I want is the pain relief, you know? And you know, to recover, you know, night games to day games. That's it.
"And I didn't think the stuff worked. I was like, 'Dude, whatever,' but he's my friend."
Eventually, Bonds said he stopped using the products, telling the grand jury, "If it's a steroid, it's not working."
Bonds told the grand jurors that he gave Anderson a $20,000 bonus and bought him a ring after the 73-home run season. He also bought the trainer a ring to commemorate the Giants' 2002 World Series appearance.
According to the Chronicle, prosecutor Jeff Nedrow pressed Bonds about the clear liquid Anderson provided.
"Did he ever tell you it was a molecularly or chemically altered steroid? Did Greg ever tell you anything like that?"
"No, because my other trainer, who is 50 years old, Harvey, was taking the same stuff," Bonds replied. "And he said it's flaxseed oil."
Bonds told the jury he couldn't translate a document that had the notation "! G !" along with "one box off season" and "two box season, $1,500."
The Chronicle reported that prosecutors thought the notation referred to Bonds' payments for human growth hormones, but Bonds said, "I don't know what G is."
Bonds denied injecting himself with any drugs, and in response to documents suggesting that he was using Clomid, the fertility drug that enhances the effect of testosterone; modafinil, an anti-narcolepsy drug used as a stimulant; and the steroid trenbolone, Bonds said "I've never heard of it."
Bonds also pleaded ignorance on paperwork indicating that starting in 2001, BALCO was screening his blood for steroids.
"Do you know why BALCO would have been testing for your testosterone level?" he was asked.
"I have no idea," Bonds replied.
"Do you know why your testosterone level would have been -- according to the report -- higher than the level, the normal range indicated for males 29 to 49 years old?"
"I don't understand this piece of paper," Bonds replied.
The Chronicle reported that elevated testosterone levels can indicate steroid use.
Bonds also said in his testimony that he asked Anderson to test him for steroids in 2003 because he didnt trust Major League Baseballs testing.
"We got tested two times this season unannounced," Bonds said. "I don't trust baseball. They say it's anonymous, but then they put your name on it. So I don't trust baseball. So I asked Greg ... 'I want to know what baseball's doing behind our backs.'
"I never saw the papers, never saw the results. Greg just said, 'You're negative.' "
