The Daily News is reporting that Tiger’s Canadian doctor, Dr. Tony Galea was arrested in October and his Toronto clinic was raided after an assistant was caught transporting illegal drugs across the Canadian border, including human growth hormone (hGH) and Actovegin – both of which are banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
The Buffalo, New York office of the FBI is now investigating Dr. Galea and some of his colleagues, including one doctor who is known to have been working with Yankees’ star player, Alex Rodriguez.
An officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police told reporters that initial charges will be filed on Friday in a Toronto courtroom, focusing on customs and criminal code violations and Canada’s strict ‘Controlled substance’ law.
Galea first gained attention earlier this year when he treated Tiger for a minor injury, using a plasma injection therapy known as “blood spinning.” In the process, the patient’s own blood is spun in a centrifuge, then injected into an injured joint to accelerate healing. There’s no solid proof the process works and Dr. Galea is, so far, its only practitioner.
“Unequivocally, Dr. Galea denies any wrongdoing,” says Brian Greenspan, Galea’s attorney. “It has nothing to do with the Tiger Woods matter.”
US anti-doping officials, however, said that Galea is “definitely on our radar.”
Gary Wadler, a consultant for the World Anti-Doping Agency told reporters that blood spinning is a trendy but unproven procedure. The Agency allows it for use in a vein, but injection into muscle is banned as that may promote muscle growth.
As for Actovegin, use of the drug, which is derived from calf’s blood and boosts an athlete’s endurance by raising their blood’s oxygen capacity is totally illegal in the US. Back in 2000, French authorities investigated Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France team for possible use after a small bottle was found in a bag discarded by the support team. No use by any rider was ever proven.
The December 18 hearing is known in Canadian law as ‘an administrative appearance.’ It’s not a trial, and the suspect can only be sent for trial if charges are filed by that date. If none appear by that time, Galea could go free.
Galea’s attorney says his client is ‘a prominent sports physician, with a reputation that is well deserved,’ and seems confident that no trial will be needed; “I look forward to examining the allegations,” he has since told the press. “They are totally without support.”
We’ll keep you advised…
