The seven-time Cy Young awardee lost his appeal to reconsider his defamation suit against his former trainer Brian McNamee. The lawsuit stemmed from the statements of McNamee accusing Roger Clemens of using steroids and human growth hormones. The trainer told Senator Mitchell during the height of steroid investigation in baseball and a Sports Illustrated columnist that he personally injected Clemens with steroids and HGH several times.

The 3 panel judge of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 in favor of the lower court’s decision dismissing most of the claims of Clemens because of jurisdiction issue. The lower court under U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison upheld that they don’t have any jurisdiction on the claims of Clemens since the statements were made in New York. Clemens camp immediately appealed the ruling but they were not successful in their effort to pin down McNamee for his testimony. Clemens’ lawyers argued that the lower court made a wrong decision for ruling that McNamee is entitled to immunity when he testified in the Mitchell investigation. They also contend that McNamee could be tried in Texas because he visited the slugger several times.

Rusty Hardin who represents Clemens told the AP that they will still study the ruling of the appeals court. “We haven’t read it yet, but I can tell you what we would say. We understand that the vote was 2-1 and we’re going to look at it and see if we’re going to pursue it and make up our mind after we get a chance to read and digest it,” Hardin said.

The AP and NY Daily News quoted portions of the court’s decision. “The statements in this case concerned non-Texas activities - the delivery of performance-enhancing drugs to Clemens in New York and Canada. The statements did not concern activity in Texas; nor were they made in Texas or directed to Texas residents any more than residents of any state. As such, the district court did not err in dismissing Clemens’ suit for lack of personal jurisdiction over McNamee,” the court said.

The 2 judges who affirmed the lower court ruling were Judges Jerry Edwin Smith and W. Eugene Davis. Judge Catharina Haynes however, issued an 11 page dissenting opinion. She believed that Texas jurisdiction did exist in the case because of the training relationship between the two. This is evidenced by repeated visits of McNamee to Texas.

“McNamee’s numerous visits to Texas were business contacts with Clemens in the course of the very training relationship that did — or did not — give rise to the steroid use,” said Judge Haynes. “Clemens has an equal, if not greater, interest in securing relief in his home state, where the brunt of the injury to his personal and professional reputation was sustained,” she added.

Roger Clemens is still facing perjury charges for allegedly lying to federal investigators about his steroid use. The result of the ruling may or may not affect his case but it will also bolster the claims of McNamee that he really used performance enhancing drugs when he was still under the trainer. McNamee’s camp was happy with the decision. Richard Emery, representing McNamee, told the AP that the appeals court protected his client from legal bullying.

The legal team of Clemens will again face another battle in New York to defend Clemens against the counter suit filed by Brian McNamee.

When the possibility of fighting with Manny Pacquiao came out, the camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. immediately come up with a story accusing Pacquiao of using something like steroids to enhance his performance. It became a hot topic in the world of boxing. This steroid accusation was denied by Pacquiao saying that he is clean as proven by NSAC’s negative test results for steroids for all his fights. Other boxers who are also aiming for a match-up with the 7 division world champion rides on with the issue.

At first, many sports writers are covering the issue with enthusiasm and excited on what will happen next. But it turned out that the issue was used to avoid the match-up dubbed as the fight of the century. Boxing fans are also annoyed of the many excuses of the Mayweather camp. When Manny Pacquiao agreed on the terms of the Olympic style blood testing, Floyd Mayweather Jr. changed his mind saying he wants to take a break first from the sport. Boxing promoter Bob Arum also initiated a new negotiation which is supposedly scheduled later this year but Mayweather did not sign the agreement.

Boxing is not just about power, strength and endurance. You should also have the character. Since most boxing fans look-up on their boxing idols, they must be a good example. It is now time for Floyd Mayweather Jr. to think about his decision. His untainted record may not be worthy to millions of boxing fans if he is afraid to lose. If he thinks Manny Pacquiao is on steroids, then why he decided to fight a known former steroid user, Shane Mosley. Yahoo sportswriter Kevin Iole has this to say to Mayweather, “Mayweather has run from his biggest challenge. The fans, even those who have ardently supported him through the years, will surely remember that.”

Yahoo! Sports voted for Mayweather to be the top pound for pound boxer last May. With this development however, they could be wrong with their choice. “Boxing doesn’t need him. And, truth be told, he’s wrong about his value… And the next time he dares to compare himself to one of boxing’s all-time greats, such as Sugar Ray Robinson or Sugar Ray Leonard, they’ll scoff,” said Iole referring to Mayweather’s claim that he is one of the greatest boxer of all time.

Sports Illustrated writer Chris Mannix also criticized Mayweather for his decision. “He holds the boxing world hostage by saying he will take his gloves and go home unless the fight isn’t when he wants, where he wants and at what weight he wants. Mannix also said that the boxer is not being true to what he says. “He perpetuates a lie- like the one about his advisor, Al Haymon, not being involved in negotiations with Manny Pacquiao- because he is confident in the fact that no one in the industry will stand up to him,” Mannix said.

Now that steroid issue was set aside, let us just wait on what will be next move of Mayweather. There are reports that Don King is getting into the picture which can help realize the mega fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Antonio Margarito. However, the challenger is still plagued by his suspension because of padded boxing gloves. Some of the possible venue could be the Dallas Cowboys Stadium, Abu Dhabi, and Monterrey City in Mexico. A win over Margarito will give the Pacman his 8th title.

The decision of Lance Armstrong to get tough lawyers to defend him is the right thing to do. Though he believe he is innocent of any wrongdoing, Armstrong will be facing a very hard time dealing with a federal investigator who sent several people including professional athletes to prison. Jeff Novitsky heads the investigation on the alleged systematic doping and questionable contracts made by Armstrong. In fact, there are already some people who were subpoenaed to give more details on the alleged doping of the 7 time Tour de France Champion. This is aside from the coordination and collaboration with international police and international sports organizations in Europe. With this kind of investigation, the respondent should be well prepared to defend himself.

Top Steroid Cop

Novitsky has already established a reputation that made him America’s top steroid cop. Several prominent personalities from the sports arena were interviewed by Ronald Blum and Paul Elias of the AP and most of them shared the same opinion. A prominent lawyer who is representing trainer Brian McNamee against Roger Clemens in a steroid perjury case said that Novitsky possess remarkable qualities as an investigator. Richard Emery described Novitsky as smart, meticulous, sophisticated, well-prepared and straight as an arrow. “I’m just glad he ain’t after me. He is a nightmare for anyone that’s he’s focused on,” the lawyer said. Emery added that Novitsky is very creative and has the ability to bring people out.

However, Novitsky has not pleased everyone. There are also some people who criticize his strategies. In fact, some judges who handled his previous cases like the BALCO questioned some of Novitsky’s methods of investigation. For example, a 2004 search and seizure warrant for 10 baseball players ended up seizing materials from more than 100 players according to the AP report. Most of them complain of harassment and violation of their rights.

Fair Investigation on Armstrong

Armstrong’s lawyers already complained on the alleged leaking of information to the media about the specifics of the doping investigation against their client. Armstrong also hinted that it may lead to a witch hunt. He will only cooperate if there will be a fair investigation. Based on the allegation of Floyd Landis, the champion cyclist used performance enhancing drugs like EPO and underwent several blood transfusions to boost performance in competitions.

US prosecutor Kevin Ryan on the other hand, defended Novitsky. “Despite the criticism that has been lofted his way, he has always been able to prove his critics wrong,” he said. “He’s relentless. He’s ethical. He’s a very good investigator.” Novitsky is the type of person that never gives up until he gets the information that he needs. Just like what he did in the BALCo investigation where he crawled into a trash container to collect important documents. And to make him more acquainted with steroids and PED’s, he took a crash course from a steroid expert. “As a result of the BALCO investigation he became well-known in government circles. He became a star,” said steroid expert Don Catlin.

Cheating and Fraud Not Allowed

Travis Tygart of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency said that there are some people who will never understand how these law enforcement agents perform their jobs. “Without Jeff and the many other dedicated law enforcement agents out there enforcing these important federal laws, the promise of sport fails our kids,” said Tygart. He further explained how important it is to have a fair playing field. “Our sports are the fabric of our American way of life. They teach us all that dedication, character, hard work, playing fair can lead to fulfillment and accomplishment.” He also added that we should not tolerate this type of corruption and fraud in business, academia or other important institutions. “Why should we accept it in sports? The answer is clear we should not,” Tygart concluded.

Selling anabolic steroids through the internet may involve higher risk as compared to selling it directly to clients at the gyms and fitness centers. This is evidenced by majority of cases handled by Magistrate courts in the UK. Illegal distributors of anabolic steroids usually admit that the majority of their clients come from local gyms. Those who are involved in selling these controlled substances are also into bodybuilding which makes it easier for them to get the trust of their customers.

Anabolic steroids are drugs which can be purchased with prescription. It can be used to treat medical conditions but it became a popular pill for most bodybuilders because it helps build muscles and increase strength. It is not surprising that a lot of individuals see this as a lucrative business. For example a jobless man from Worcester, UK depends on anabolic steroids as his main source of income. According to authorities this man offers his steroids to friends and gym club members.

In the report of Worcester News, Christopher Drew, 24, an unemployed electrician, is a steroid supplier of bodybuilders at the local gym. He pleaded guilty to 5 counts of supplying anabolic steroids. He was given a 6 months jail term suspended for 18 months. He was also required to render 150 hours of unpaid work and must follow an electronically tagged curfew for the next 20 weeks. The severity of the sentence was based on the pre-sentence report. “These offences are serious; they are part of the shady side of sports enhancement. You’re relatively young and I’m putting this offending down to relative immaturity,” said Recorder Ruth Dean during the sentencing.

Police officers found several tablets and vials of steroids from Drew’s car. More than 3,500 tablets and vials of steroids were estimated at £1,300. Cash and check were also recovered which were later proved that these were proceeds from his illegal activities. “He said he had been selling steroids for a few months, but only to a closed circuit of people. The drugs are used to build muscle and tone. He sold them to users of the local gym and kept the money to fund his own lifestyle,” said Gareth Walters of the prosecution.

In another case, a Merseyside man was also convicted of supplying steroids to bodybuilders. Andrew Degiorgio, 27 of Hinckley Road, Islands Brow, pleaded guilty to 3 counts of possession with intent to supply anabolic steroids and 3 charges of supplying steroids. The Magistrate court sentenced him to an 8 week jail term suspended for 12 months. He must also work for 200 hours without pay. Authorities found in his premises at least 638 steroid tablets.

Another concern of the authorities is the increasing number of users in the country. In St Helens alone, it is estimated that steroid users have already quadrupled in the last 2 years. Most of them are bodybuilders and young teens who want to improve their image with a better body and muscular physique.

The controversy over Brian Cushing’s positive test for HCG will not end soon after news reports revealed that Texans owner will appeal the case to the NFL. Bob McNair, owner of the Houston Texans is set to meet top NFL official in the hope that they will reduce the 4-game suspension against Cushing which will start this season. However, a reversal of its previous decision will put the league into another controversy.

In the previous interviews, McNair already defended Cushing saying that he believes his star player did not take anabolic steroids or any performance enhancing drugs. The positive result could be due to an abnormality in Cushing’s system which still needs to be studied. “I had a meeting with the league’s medical staff and presented additional medical information about Brian Cushing. The doctors will review the information and we’ll hear from them at a later date,” said McNair in a press release.

Brian Cushing tested positive for HCG last year but the suspension came late because of an appeal contesting the result. The league gave him 4-game suspension. HCG is not a steroid but it is included in the banned substance under the anti-steroid policy of the league. It is a female fertility drug which is used to increase the production of testosterone after a steroid cycle. Even if Cushing denies his use of this drug a thousand times, suspicions will still be there. There are already some professional players who were also caught using drug and they were also involved in the use of steroids.

Cushing said before that the positive test could be due to a potentially deadly tumor. But right now, he has a different story to tell. The Rookie of the Year believes that his elevated levels of HCG could be the result of natural hormonal changes in his body. “Everything points to that over trained athlete syndrome. I’m pretty sure it is. I’m pretty positive. I didn’t take anything. It’s not a tainted supplement. So all roads lead to that,” he said.

According to an SI report, the “overtrained athlete syndrome” results when an athlete trained intensely for a long period and suddenly stops training. There is a possibility that it will cause testosterone imbalance. However, it remains a possibility since there are no documented cases similar to Cushing’s case. Most people are not buying this alibi. It is more acceptable for many fans if Cushing would just accept that his positive test was due steroid use.

But McNair believes that his ward is clean of PED’s. “He shows no sign of ever having been on steroids,” said McNair. “His weight hasn’t changed appreciably since he’s been with us. I’ve looked into it pretty thoroughly, and I haven’t found anything that would lead me to believe that he has ever taken a performance-enhancing drug,” he added.

So the question whether Cushing was having an overtrained athlete syndrome still remain as a question. Cushing is optimistic that the issue will be resolve as soon as possible. “There is no question in my mind I’ll be a better football player than I was last season. I’m going into my second year. The plays I’m making on the practice field this year compared to last year, I’m so much more of a well-rounded football player than I was,” Cushing said.

After almost a year, the steroid test results of Yankees youth coach involved in a brawl incident was released to the public. Coach Jason Chighizola was convicted in August 20, 2009 for beating a recreation athletic contest official. But aside from the conviction, the judge ordered him to be tested regularly for anabolic steroids because of his huge muscular appearance which is typical of a steroid user. Slidell City Court Judge James “Jim” Lamz sentenced him 30 days in jail for beating up Red Sox coach Robert Johnson during a match at Slidell Bantam Baseball Association game in May 2008. Chighizola was also given 2-years probation after serving his jail term.

The unprofessional behavior of Chighizola could be another example of roid rage. His hot temper brought a negative impact on his team and to the aspiring young baseball players. Parents and other officials were shocked on that incident. A police officer, who was also present to see his son play for the Red Sox team, said in a testimony that it looks like a hockey match than a baseball game. Coach Robert Johnson got several lacerations in the forehead and right eye which required 9 stitches.

According to the report of Nola.com, the test result of coach Chighizola was made public due to the efforts of The Times-Picayune. After the sentencing they immediately requested for the steroid test result but the clerk of court asked the state attorney general’s office first for an opinion before divulging the result. It was only last July when the Attorney General issued an opinion saying that the result was not placed under a protective order by the judge.

Based on the court records, Chighizola had a very high testosterone:epitestosterone ratio. It was also revealed that there were two types of anabolic steroids found in his system. The coach tested positive for the metabolites of trenbolone. This steroid is commonly used by veterinarians but became widely popular among bodybuilders. It helps develop muscles and improve appetite. Chighizola also took stanozolol. This steroid is usually stacked with other types of steroids and it is known to increase strength and give leaner muscles to the user. The test was conducted by Redwood Toxicology Laboratory from California.

Tammy Nick, legal counsel of Chighizola said in an interview that his client has been a model probationer. The coach meets with his probation officer regularly and still undergoes regular drug tests. “He hasn’t come up positive on steroids since that initial test. He’s done everything. All his community service. He’s done everything he was asked to do,” she said.

The baseball coach was also barred to participate and attend in any youth sports event during his 2 years probation. “He was a voluntary coach for a very long time without any incident like this. That’s the thing, this has not only hurt him and his family, but all the community, as the children who he used to coach and the parents, they miss him,” said Nick. In order to prevent another incident similar to what happened at the Slidell, coach Chighizola was also required to complete anger management classes and was oblige to see a psychologist for counseling.