Testosterone cream? Right.Gatlin, Graham facing possible bans; therapist offers denial
By Dick Patrick, USA TODAY
The lawyer for the massage therapist for track star Justin Gatlin is denying the therapist rubbed testosterone cream onto Gatlin's legs as alleged by Gatlin's coach, Trevor Graham.
Gatlin, the Olympic champion and co-holder for the world record in the 100 meters, tested positive for using testosterone or related substances and is facing a lifetime ban if the test is confirmed. Gatlin said he has never knowingly ingested a performance-enhancing substance. Graham, without naming him, charged the therapist Sunday, according to The Washington Post. The therapist's name is Chris Whetstine, who Graham said held a grudge against Gatlin, thinking the sprinter was behind Graham firing him before he was rehired by the coach.
"We vehemently deny any contact with anabolic steroids or other prohibited substances with any athletes, including Mr. Gatlin," said Elizabeth Baker, the lawyer for Whetstine, who, she said, was under contract to Nike and was assigned to Gatlin.
Neither Graham nor his lawyer returned messages Tuesday.
The lawyer for Gatlin had no comment regarding Whetstine. Gatlin, the current Olympic 100-meter champion and co-holder of the world record in the event, is facing a lifetime ban because of a previous positive test.
"Trevor's comments didn't come from us, and we didn't know of them until we read them in the press," said Cameron Myler, Gatlin's attorney. "At this point we are still actively investigating the cause of Justin's positive test and we're not prepared to point fingers at anyone."
Myler is scheduled to provide the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which conducted the positive test on Gatlin in Kansas City in April, with written arguments next week on why the case should be dismissed.
If, as expected, the USADA review board proceeds with the case, Gatlin is entitled to an arbitration hearing, which Myler estimated would be "months down the road." If he loses in arbitration, Gatlin could go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for a final ruling.
A carbon isotope test has confirmed the existence of synthetic testosterone in his system. "We need to show how the prohibited substance got into Justin's body and what the circumstances were," Myler said. "If you show the athlete has no fault, any sanction that would otherwise be imposed can be eliminated. If you show the athlete had no significant fault, the sanction would be reduced."
Gatlin has met with success on appeal before. In 2001 CAS considered his amphetamine positive inadvertent because Gatlin documented the substance was contained in medication he had taken for years for attention deficit disorder. CAS recommended to the international track federation that his two-year ban be reduced, which it was, to one year.
Graham is under scrutiny by a grand jury for possible perjury charges regarding the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative case. Last week The New York Times reported grand jury witnesses alleged he was involved in steroid trafficking.
And I suppose the "massage therapist" used a meat-tipped applicator?