Court rules investigators can use baseball steroid testing data
12/27/2006SAN FRANCISCO The names and urine samples of about 100 Major League Baseball players who tested positive three years ago can be used by federal investigators, a court ruled today a decision that could have implications for Barry Bonds.
The federal appeals court ruling could bolster the government s perjury case against Bonds if his name is among those who tested positive. The slugger has been the target of a perjury investigation since he testified before a 2004 grand jury that he didn t knowingly use illegal drugs.
Greg Anderson, Bonds personal trainer, is currently in prison for refusing to testify in the perjury probe. Anderson previously was convicted of steroids distribution.
Investigators seized computer files containing the 2003 test results during raids in 2004 on three labs involved in the MLB testing program.
The unidentified samples had been collected as part of a MLB survey to gauge the prevalence of steroid use. The testing was anonymous under the terms of baseball s labor contract, but each player was assigned a code number to be matched with his name.
Michael Weiner, general counsel for the players union, didn t immediately respond to a telephone call and e-mail seeking comment.
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