Interview with BALCO Founder Victor Conte
COLLINS: We are joined once again now with the founder of BALCO Labs, founder and president, I should say, Victor Conte, in the heels -- or I should say proceeding this report that will be coming out. A lot of people very interested in this, Victor. About 2:00 today, Senator George Mitchell is going to be releasing this report on steroids, going to be naming names. And before we went to the break, we were talking about the difference between amateur athletes regarding the Olympics and professional athletes. I want to get to some of those professional athletes, because I know that you have a personal connection to some of those. Barry Bonds and Marion Jones, were you surprised by the indictment of Barry Bonds knowing what you know?</s>CONTE: I was surprised. I was not surprised Marion Jones was charged, because I knew there was overwhelming amount of evidence against her. I know there is some evidence they have collected against Barry Bonds, but I just didn't think that they would indict because I didn't think they had enough credible evidence to reach the beyond a reasonable doubt standard.</s>COLLINS: Wow.</s>CONTE: I was wrong.</s>COLLINS: I mean, that is saying a lot. I guess there's, you know, this whole issue of telling the truth and what you know and cheating, versus getting caught.</s>CONTE: Uh-huh.</s>COLLINS: So, that being said, what should happen? Should Barry Bonds' record stand?</s>CONTE: I think we have to wait and let the case play out. I have not seen all of the evidence. I've seen a lot of it, but I would like to see all of the evidence. I hope the case goes to trial.</s>COLLINS: What do you think about the fans? You had mentioned the fans just a few minutes ago, whether or not they are concerned about this. Isn't it true that everybody just kind of wants to see a good competition? Do they really want to see those -- the high number of RBIs on the board? I mean, is it really important to have a high- scoring game, or is competition more important, an even playing field?</s>CONTE: I think that an even playing field, the competition is more important. They want to know that what they are seeing, there is a level of integrity there that the value of the experience will last.</s>COLLINS: So how do we ever go back? Will there ever be a chance for there to be no steroids, no performance-enhancing drugs in sports again?</s>CONTE: Let me start by talking about the upside and the downside of what I've already seen here that's been leaked out regarding the Mitchell Report. The upside is they're talking about having an independent agency conduct this drug testing program. I think that's great. I think having the fox guard the henhouse is a very bad idea.</s>COLLINS: Is it realistic?</s>CONTE: Well, I'll be able to tell you that shortly. The downside and very much so a deficiency of what I've heard already is that the Mitchell Report does not address the issue of the use of amphetamines or stimulants.</s>COLLINS: Exactly.</s>CONTE: Stimulants are equally as bad for you in terms of adverse health effects as steroids, and they just seem to be glossing over that at this point in time.</s>COLLINS: In fact, there is something interesting that I read that you said that I really don't get, and maybe you can clarify it for me. You actually think, is it not true, that it's OK for young athletes to use some of these performance-enhancing drugs but not for adults?</s>CONTE: No, it's the exact opposite. I don't think kids should have anything to do with any type of performance-enhancing drugs. The types of statements that I've made, knowing that intense training causes a depletion in the circulation levels of testosterone, for example, so an elderly player, 25 years and older, let's say, if they're tested and they're found to be low in testosterone, I do not believe they should be allowed to take super-physiological levels, like 5,000 milligrams a week...</s>COLLINS: So limit it?</s>CONTE: ... a bodybuilder would take, but hormone replacement therapy to have normal levels. If the range is 300 to 1,000 and an athlete is tested and found to be 100, should they be allowed to bring it up to 400 and be within the normal range?</s>COLLINS: OK.</s>CONTE: I believe they should.</s>COLLINS: Last question. Why did you come on the show today?</s>CONTE: To help provide whatever input that I can to help create a more level playing field. And my primary purpose is to try to help for the young athletes of the future so they don't have to come up into a culture of rampant drug use.</s>COLLINS: Victor Conte, we appreciate your time here today, the president and founder of BALCO Labs. Thank you, Victor.</s>CONTE: Thank you for having me.</s>HARRIS: Whoa, whoa.</s>RAY D'ALESSIO, CNN SPORTS: Wow!</s>HARRIS: Whoa.</s>D'ALESSIO: Do we have anybody at the airport? Because, you know, once this whole report comes out, there is probably going to be a lot of guys...</s>HARRIS: Don't start.</s>D'ALESSIO: ... boarding flights to head down to the Caribbean or something like that and shutting their phones off.</s>HARRIS: Right, exactly.</s>D'ALESSIO: That is my question right now.</s>HARRIS: Like there...</s>D'ALESSIO: Do we have anybody at the airport? Yes.</s>HARRIS: Yes. Hey, look, so much in that. The Mitchell Report -- let me sort of get myself together here. The Mitchell report later today.</s>D'ALESSIO: Right.</s>HARRIS: Why is this important?</s>D'ALESSIO: There's a number of factors. And I mean, for me and I know for a lot of people, hopefully it will answer a lot of questions. I mean, up until now, let's face it; this whole steroid era has been, you know, a lot of speculation. Gee, I wonder if this guy is doing this or was this power surge because of that? Well now, when this report comes out, which supposedly is going to name names, like we said, up to 80 names including MVPs and all-stars, you're going to have people go, ah-ha, I knew it. That would explain this that would explain maybe why his numbers dropped once testing began. Then on the flip side, you're going to have people who are also going to go, you're kidding me. Why would he be doing this? If he was already going to be a hall of fame career?</s>HARRIS: Ray, no one cares. Look, baseball has been enjoying record growth. No one cares. Curious of the game here. The number crunches care. What is it? The number crunching, what is the key word there?</s>D' ALESSIO: Sexy. The whole thing is sexy, too. It is. And there's going to be a lot of questions, you know, Tony and a lot of people are like, OK, well, what impact is naming the players going to have? Well, it's going -- I think it's going to be up to Commissioner Bud Selig. I mean, is he going to decide to suspend these guys based on the evidence collected and absolved, what evidence are we talking about? Are we talking about paper trails? Are we talking about word of mouth from a convicted steroid dealer? And if he does suspend these players, how will the players union react?</s>HARRIS: Here's the other thing. Victor Conte said, just a moment ago to Heidi, that he was surprised that Barry Bonds was indicted.</s>D' ALESSIO: Yes.</s>HARRIS: You know, Victor Conte, he still claims -- and I don't know if he still claims it today, but he has in the past, that there was no Barry Bonds, quote/unquote, "Program at</s>BALCO." D' ALESSIO: Which when you look at the indictment, it mentions in there that they had this positive test on Barry Bonds, which was supposedly done by BALCO to monitor his -- and to make sure that none of this stuff was throwing up a red flag. So that was surprising.</s>HARRIS: Any quick thoughts on what this means? Does the sport survive this? You talk about the Black Sox scandal and baseball survived, obviously you talk about the strike in '94?</s>D' ALESSIO: '94, '95.</s>HARRIS: And then the game bounces back with the home run derby with McGuire and Sosa. Does the game survive these reports today?</s>D' ALESSIO: You just mentioned your own question. After the strike, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire, they saved the sport and we mentioned it earlier. You know, they are still setting attendance records despite all the allegations facing Barry Bonds. If I recall, people still packed the stands every night watching him in the home run chase.</s>HARRIS: What do they call the stat man?</s>D' ALESSIO: Stat boy?</s>HARRIS: Ray, see new a couple of hours. Appreciate it. Thanks. OK. The Mitchell report again is scheduled for release at 2:00 p.m. eastern time and you can see it live on our website at cnn.com or tune into our sister network, "CNN Headline News." And let's take a closer look at George Mitchell who spear-headed this investigation. He is a longtime U.S. senator, as you know, may know. The Democrat also served as the Senate's majority leader away from Capitol Hill. He was a key player in the Northern Ireland peace process. Today, Mitchell is listed as a Director of the Boston Red Sox. That stirred some questions about whether he could be impartial in naming names.</s>HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: OK. Let's get to Tampa now. We are getting some information in, I want to get, from our affiliate there at WFTS is reporting this horrible bus crash. Take a look. The video is very disturbing. Right now, here is what we know. This is from Hillsboro County Fire. In case you're familiar with the area. The driver of a car broadsided that school bus there. The driver is going to be air-lifted once they get him out of the vehicle. Not quite sure, if that is the individual or that is someone, looks like they're coming from the bus. So, difficult to tell from this angle or to be sure. But once again, six people on the bus have also been injured including the driver of that school bus. Not certain of the severity of those injuries, just yet but once again, this is happening in Tampa. A car has broad-sided a school bus. We know that there are injuries involved, just not sure to the extent of those. We're going to keep our eye on it for you.</s>HARRIS: There, she is walking down the street. A stranger hands her a 50.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it was awesome. I'm like I'm going to make my way over to Wal-Mart and to the dollar store and maybe I'll get lucky.</s>HARRIS: A secret Santa and one town is guessing.