Greg Anderson (trainer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Greg F. Anderson (b. 1966) is an athletic trainer, best known for his work with Barry Bonds and links with BALCO.
Contents |
[edit] Early Life
While still young, Anderson's father died after being shot during a gambling dispute. Anderson first met Bonds when the two played high school baseball together in California, where Bonds flourished as the team's star, while Anderson struggled to get playing time. In college, Anderson began an obsession with weight-lifting and spent long hours in the gym. He did play college baseball in the Midwest with moderate success, but was advised by his coach to find a career outside of professional ball. Soon after, Anderson moved back to California where he spent most of his time at the Gold's Gym only a few blocks away from BALCO.
[edit] Steroid Troubles
Anderson is alleged to have been the person who began providing Bonds with performance enhancing drugs in 1998. Before associating with Bonds, he was known as a local gym rat and was thought by the San Francisco Giants to be a steroids dealer. He was also linked in this regard to both Jason Giambi and Gary Sheffield, through his connections with Bonds. Despite this information, the Giants, allegedly in order to appease Bonds, did not bar Anderson from Giants facilities. On July 15, 2005, Anderson, in a deal with federal prosecutors, plead guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and to money laundering[1]. On October 18, 2005, he was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston to four months of prison and four months home confinement with electronic monitoring and a levied a fine of $10,000.
Anderson and his steroid dealings are referred to in the book Game of Shadows, which documents the steroid use of many Major League Baseball players and other notable athletes.
[edit] Further Legal Trouble
On July 5, 2006, Anderson was found in contempt of court by U.S. District Judge William Alsup for refusing to testify before a federal grand jury investigating perjury accusations against San Francisco Giants' player Barry Bonds. Bonds appeared before a grand jury investigating the BALCO steroids case in December 2003 and is reported to have denied knowingly using performance enhancing drugs [2]. Anderson, denied bail, was immediately sent to the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California. Anderson's attorney, Mark Geragos, said he would file an appeal based on his assertion that the subpoena to testify violated Anderson's plea bargain agreement in the BALCO case [3].
On July 20, 2006, Anderson was released when the grand jury's term expired without indicting Bonds. However, Anderson was immediately subpoenaed to testify before a new grand jury that will take up the case [4]. Anderson's attorney, Mark Geragos, stated that Anderson will still refuse to testify, and on August 28, Anderson was again found in contempt of court and sentenced to prison. It is unclear how long he will serve this time around.
