Miguel Tejada became the first high-profile player convicted of a crime stemming from Major League Baseball’s steroids era by pleading guilty in federal court on Wednesday to misleading Congress about doping.
Under a plea agreement with the same prosecutors pursuing a perjury indictment against pitching great Roger Clemens, Tejada admitted he withheld information about an ex-teammate’s use of steroids and human growth hormone (HGH) when questioned by a House committee’s investigators in August 2005.
Tejada also acknowledged he bought HGH while playing for the A’s, but said he threw the drugs away without using them. Prosecutors said they have no evidence to contradict that.
Later at a Houston press conference, Tejada fought back tears as he apologized for what he called a mistake. He did not take questions.
The misdemeanor can lead to as much as a year in jail. Federal guidelines call for a lighter sentence, and one of his lawyers Mark Tuohey said he expects Tejada to receive probation.
Federal Magistrate Judge Alan Kay set sentencing for March 26, during MLB spring training.
Kay asked more than once whether the Dominican Republic player understood this could affect his immigration status in the US. “Yes, your honor,” Tejada replied.
A letter sent by prosecutors to his attorneys last Friday outlining the terms of their plea deal said: “His guilty plea in this case may subject him to detention, deportation and other sanctions at the direction of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”
Even after being chastised by Kay for merely nodding in response to questions, Tejada did not say much in Washington on Wednesday other than “Yes, your honor” or “No, your honor” during the 45-minute hearing.
Toward the end of the proceedings, when Tejada was asked how he wished to plea, his voice cracked as he replied: “Guilty.” One of his lawyers patted him on the shoulder.
The case stemmed from former Baltimore Orioles teammate Rafael Palmeiro failing a drug test in 2005 and being banned. Palmeiro said the positive test must have been caused by a tainted B-12 vitamin injection given to him by Tejada.
He told congressional staff “he had no knowledge of other players using or even talking about steroids or other banned substances,” court documents say.
But in the December 2007 Mitchell Report on drugs in MLB, Oakland outfielder Adam Piatt is cited saying he discussed steroid use with Tejada and provided Tejada with testosterone and HGH.
The report included copies of checks allegedly written by Tejada to Piatt in March 2003 for US$3,100 and US$3,200.
The 2025 International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) Mr Universe Chinese Taipei competition began yesterday at Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, with more than 150 athletes showcasing their physiques. It is the first time in 16 years that the IFBB has held a competition in Taiwan, the last being the 2009 World Games in Kaohsiung. The professional bodybuilding contest is bringing together athletes from Taiwan and 16 other countries, including Malaysia, Japan, the US, France and Mexico. IFBB Chinese Taipei president Hsu An-chin said in an interview yesterday that the event came to Taiwan thanks to his lobbying efforts at last
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Cycling great Marianne Vos won the opening stage of the women’s Tour de France with a brilliant late attack on Saturday. The 38-year-old Dutchwoman overtook her Visma–Lease a Bike teammate Pauline Ferrand-Prevot approaching the line, and then held off Mauritian rider Kim Le Court in the closing meters of a grueling uphill finish. Ferrand-Prevot looked set to win the stage, but the Frenchwoman attacked too early from 600m and could not withstand the late surge from Vos, who punched the air with her left fist as she crossed the line. Moments later, Vos hugged an exhausted-looking Ferrand-Prevot, the Paris-Roubaix winner. “I didn’t know if
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his