World 100m record-holder Tim Montgomery told a federal grand jury that he used human growth hormone and a steroid-like "magic potion" and could face a lifetime ban, according to newspaper reports.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Thursday that Montgomery, who has publicly denied any wrongdoing, told a grand jury that he was given weekly doses of growth hormone and "the clear" over eight months ending in mid-2001.
The report said Victor Conte, founder of BALCO labs and charged in a steroid distribution ring, assured Montgomery "the clear" was not an illegal steroid but that Montgomery admitted knowing growth hormone was a banned substance.
Montgomery, who set a 100m world record of 9.78 seconds in 2002, is among four US athletes who were notified on Wednesday by the United States Anti-Doping Agency that they face doping charges that could bring lifetime bans, according to other newspaper reports.
USADA confirmed sending letters of formal doping charges to athletes, with USA Today and the Washington Post reporting that four athletes received notice that USADA will seek a lifetime ban against them all, citing unnamed sources.
Lawyers confirmed that Montgomery and Michelle Collins, who have not failed dope tests, received letters and that both plan to fight the charges, the newspapers reported.
Howard Jacobs, one of Montgomery's attorneys, said in a statement that USADA's allegations were unfair and vague assertions.
"The USADA letter does not allege that Tim Montgomery took any banned substances," Jacobs said.
"However, the conclusion by USADA's review board -- whose members were all chosen by USADA's CEO Terry Madden and is hardly an independent body -- to proceed with the adjudication process based on some vague assertion of Tim's alleged involvement with BALCO further underscores the basic lack of fairness in this entire process.
"The charges are based on evidence that is totally devoid of any scientific substance," Brian Getz, Collins' lawyer, told the New York Times. "There is no testing, no blood analysis that relates to drugs."
Alvin Harrison and Chryste Gaines also received letters with formal charges, the newspapers reported.
The flurry of activity in the BALCO steroid scandal comes on the eve of the next hearing in the case here, where Conte and three other men are charged in a steroid distribution ring. All have pleaded not guilty.
Athletes have three options once they are notified of formal charges and sanctions by USADA, including accepting the penalty.
They can seek arbitration through the American Arbitration Association, with a three-person panel hearing evidence. The athlete would select one arbitrator, USADA would select another and the association would name a third.
Athletes can appeal directly to the Court for Arbitration in Sport (CAS) or go to CAS if they are not satisfied with an arbitration ruling. CAS decisions are final.
USADA is using documents from the BALCO investigation to make cases against athletes even though they have not had positive result in doping tests because THG, a steroid at the center of the case, was previously undetectable in tests.
Sprinter Kelli White received a two-year ban for a "non-analytical positive" based on gathered evidence rather than a positive test.
But USADA does not have access to grand jury testimony, the Chronicle reported.
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