Victor Conte, Disgraced Founder of BALCO and Central Figure in Sports Doping Scandals, Dies at 75

Victor Conte, the controversial founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) and a central figure in one of the most significant performance-enhancing drug scandals in sports history, died Monday at the age of 75. Conte had publicly announced in June that he was battling pancreatic cancer.

Conte’s name became synonymous with doping in the early 2000s, after a federal investigation exposed BALCO’s role in providing banned substances to elite athletes across various sports. The scandal implicated some of the biggest names in professional baseball, track and field, and boxing, casting a long shadow over their achievements and prompting widespread scrutiny of doping practices in sports.

Born in 1949, Conte initially pursued a career in music, showcasing his talents as a bassist. He notably played with the renowned R&B group Tower of Power during their early years, contributing to their distinctive sound. He also played with Herbie Hancock. However, his professional trajectory took a sharp turn in 1984 when he founded BALCO in Burlingame, California.

Initially, BALCO positioned itself as a provider of nutritional supplements and advanced testing services, offering blood and urine analysis to athletes seeking to optimize their performance. Conte’s background in music and his interest in nutrition and exercise science fueled his ambition to create a comprehensive program for athletes looking to gain a competitive edge.

As BALCO gained prominence, Conte expanded his clientele to include professional athletes from various sports, including baseball, track and field, and boxing. Among the high-profile athletes associated with BALCO was Barry Bonds, the San Francisco Giants slugger who was chasing the all-time home run record. Conte began working with Bonds around 2000, providing him with supplements and advice on training and nutrition.

However, BALCO’s reputation took a dark turn in 2003 when a federal investigation, spearheaded by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), uncovered evidence that the laboratory was distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs to its clients. The investigation revealed that BALCO had developed and distributed a previously undetectable steroid known as tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), commonly referred to as "the clear."

The BALCO scandal sent shockwaves through the sports world, exposing the extent of doping practices and raising questions about the integrity of athletic competition. In addition to Bonds, several other prominent athletes were implicated in the scandal, including track and field star Marion Jones, Olympic sprinter Tim Montgomery, and world champion boxer Shane Mosley.

Marion Jones, who had won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was stripped of her medals and served a prison sentence after admitting to using steroids provided by BALCO. Tim Montgomery, who had broken the world record in the 100-meter sprint, also faced sanctions and had his record nullified. Shane Mosley, a multiple-time world champion boxer, testified before a grand jury about his association with BALCO and admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.

Barry Bonds, who had broken the all-time home run record in 2007, faced perjury and obstruction of justice charges related to his grand jury testimony in the BALCO investigation. While he was convicted of obstruction of justice, the conviction was later overturned on appeal. Despite never testing positive for steroids, Bonds’ association with BALCO and the cloud of suspicion surrounding his achievements have tarnished his legacy.

In 2005, Victor Conte pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering in connection with the BALCO scandal. He was sentenced to four months in prison and four months of home confinement. The plea agreement required Conte to cooperate with federal investigators and provide information about the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.

Following his release from prison, Conte sought to rehabilitate his image and reinvent himself as an anti-doping advocate. He founded Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning (SNAC), a company that provided nutritional supplements and training advice to athletes, with a focus on clean performance enhancement.

Conte also became a vocal proponent of stricter drug testing standards in sports. He advocated for the inclusion of testing by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), an independent organization that conducts rigorous drug testing programs for athletes. Conte argued that VADA’s testing standards went well beyond those administered by state athletic commissions and other governing bodies.

Despite his efforts to promote clean sport, Conte’s past continued to haunt him. Some of the boxers who worked with SNAC, such as Andre Berto, failed drug tests during their time as clients. While Conte maintained that any positive tests were not a result of work done by SNAC, the incidents raised questions about the effectiveness of his anti-doping efforts.

Victor Conte’s legacy remains complex and controversial. While he played a central role in one of the biggest doping scandals in sports history, he also became an advocate for stricter drug testing and clean competition in his later years. His death marks the end of an era in the ongoing battle against doping in sports.

SNAC issued a statement following Conte’s death, praising him as a "fearless leader, SNAC mastermind, CEO, anti-doping advocate, creator of ZMA, former Tower of Power and Herbie Hancock bassist." The statement added, "We will honor his wishes. SNAC and his legacy will carry forward, strong and forever. We love you, Conte!"