June 5, 2003
USADA is informed by an anonymous telephone caller that the undetectable designer steroid was being distributed to athletes by an individual named Victor Conte of Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (“BALCO”).
June 6, 2003
USADA receives an overnight delivery from the caller containing a syringe with an unknown clear liquid substance. USADA send s a portion of the substance to UCLA Laboratory.
Week of June 16, 2003
UCLA detects the presence of a previously unidentified anabolic steroid “Compound X.”
June 19-21, 2003
2003 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships are held in Palo Alto, Calif.
Early-Mid July, 2003
UCLA identifies the molecular structure of Compound X and, given its structure, names it tetrahydrogestrinone (“THG”).
Early-Mid July, 2003
UCLA verifies the structure of THG via Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.
Mid July, 2003
USADA contacts the Australian National Analytical Reference Laboratory (“NARL”) to synthesize THG for use as a reference material at UCLA.
Late July, 2003
USADA contacts Dr. Thomas Hoye, Merck Professor of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, to obtain an independent expert verification of the molecular structure of THG.
Aug. 8, 2003
USADA meets with U.S. Department of Justice, in Washington, D.C.
Aug. 19, 2003
USADA meets with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service and San Mateo County, California Task Force and is served a subpoena by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Aug. 20, 2003
USADA delivers a sample of THG to researchers at the University of Minnesotaregarding metabolism of THG.
Aug. 21, 2003
USADA delivers a sample of THG to the Southwest National Primate Research Center in San Antonio, Texas to initiate a primate THG-administration study.
Aug. 27, 2003
Kelli White reportedly tested positive for modafinil at the IAAF World Championships.
Sept. 2, 2003
WADA Laboratory in Paris reports that, Chris Phillips, track athlete tested positive for modafinil at the IAAF World Championship.
Sept. 23, 2003
UCLA reports that five athletes have tested positive for THG, two of whom also tested positive for modafinil.
Sept. 26, 2003
UCLA reports that four athletes have tested positive for modafinil.
Late October, 2003
USADA provides THG reference material to all IOC/WADA-accredited laboratories, UCLA provides THG analytical method to all laboratories.
Feb. 12, 2004
BALCO indictments are handed down by U.S. Department of Justice.
Feb. 24, 2004
UK Track & Field athlete DWAIN CHAMBERS receives two-year suspension for positive THG following a full evidentiary hearing before a UK arbitration panel.
April 20, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athletes CHRYSTE GAINES, SANDRA GLOVER, ERIC THOMAS and CHRISTOPHER PHILLIPS accept sanctions for positive tests for modafinil.
April 29, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athletes JOHN McEWEN and MELISSA PRICE receive two-year suspensions for positive THG and, in the case of John McEwen, modafinil tests following full evidentiary hearings before independent AAA arbitration panels.
May 3, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athlete KEVIN TOTH agrees to a two-year suspension for positive THG and modafinil tests.
May 17, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athlete KELLI WHITE agrees to a two-year suspension for her involvement in the BALCO conspiracy, marking the first non-analytical positive case involving athletes associated with the BALCO drug conspiracy.
July 18, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athleteREGINA JACOBS agrees to a four-year suspension for testing positive for THG.
Aug. 2, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athlete CALVIN HARRISON receives a two-year suspension for his second doping violation for positive modafinil test following a full evidentiary hearing before independent AAA/CAS arbitration panels.
Oct. 19, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athlete ALVIN HARRISON receives a four-year suspension for the use of numerous undetectable performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids known as the “clear” and the “cream,” insulin, erythropoietin (EPO), growth hormone and modafinil. This is the second non-analytical positive case involving athletes associated with the BALCO drug conspiracy.
Nov. 1, 2004
A preliminary hearing is held in San Francisco, Calif. Involving U.S. Track & Field athletes CHRYSTE GAINES and TIM MONTGOMERY.
Dec. 10, 2004
U.S. Track & Field athlete MICHELLE COLLINS receives an eight-year suspension for her participation in the BALCO drug conspiracy following a full evidentiary hearing before an independent arbitration panel from the American Arbitration Association and North American Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The panel finds that “USADA has proved, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Collins took EPO, the testosterone/epitestosterone cream, and THG, and that Collins used these substances to enhance her performance and elude the drug testing that was available at the time.” The eight-year suspension is later reduced to four years.
Dec. 15, 2004
CHRYSTE GAINES and TIM MONTGOMERY hearing on jurisdiction is held in Montreal, Canada.
Feb. 21, 2005
CHRYSTE GAINES and TIM MONTGOMERY hearing on evidentiary and procedural matters is held in Montreal, Canada.
June 6-10, 2005
TIM MONTGOMERY hearing on the merits is held in San Francisco, Calif.
July 11-15, 2005
CHRYSTE GAINES hearing on the merits is held in New York, NY.
Dec. 13, 2005
CAS decisions in CHRYSTE GAINES and TIM MONTGOMERY finding the two committed doping violations and received two-year suspensions.
For more information or media inquiries, click here.