British coach in US court on steroids charges

A leading athletics coach who counts British athlete Dwain Chambers as one of his star pupils was appearing in an American court today, accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs.

Ukrainian Remi Korchemny, 71, was one of four men being indicted on 42 counts of distributing illegal steroids and human growth hormones following a six-month investigation into doping in international sport.

A federal grand jury in San Francisco yesterday brought charges against Korchemny, Greg Anderson, a personal trainer of baseball star Barry Bonds, and two employees of California-based BALCO Laboratories – owner Victor Conte and vice-president Jim Valente.

The indictment said: “While operating BALCO, Conte and others conspired to distribute performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids, human growth hormone (HGH), erythropoietin (EPO), modafinil, and various other prescription drugs, to dozens of professional athletes.”

The four, expected to appear in court today, were also facing charges of misbranding drugs with intent to defraud and money laundering.

Korchemny, who also counts Americans Kelli White and Chryste Gaines as pupils, was removed from the USA Team’s coaching staff for the World Indoor Championships next month in Budapest after the International Association of Athletic Federations confirmed he would not be accredited.

Korchemny then accused USA Track and Field (USATF) of double standards.

Chambers, the European 100 metres champion, has tested positive for Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) while White and Gaines have tested positive for the stimulant modafinil.

THG is a new designer anabolic steroid which only became known to anti-doping agencies when an American coach – who wished to remain anonymous – handed in a syringe containing the substance.

The drug is said to have long-lasting effects on an athlete’s ability to recover more quickly from training and competition as well as promoting muscle growth, but the detection period is very short, believed to be three to seven days.

None of the athletes was named specifically in the indictment although it did say that they included professional baseball, gridiron and track and field athletes who received the illegal drugs until the summer of last year.

Yesterday’s announcement is the latest step in a long investigation which has seen a number of high-profile sportsmen and women testify before the grand jury.

Among those called to give evidence included San Francisco Giants slugger Bonds and American track and field star Marion Jones.