The government claims that Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) in Burlingame, Calif., supplied anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, the oxygen-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO), and other performance-enhancing drugs to some of the top athletes in Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and track and field.

Indicted were Victor Conte Jr., president and chief executive officer of BALCO; James J. Valente, vice president of BALCO; former Olympic track coach Remi Korchemny; and trainer Greg Anderson.

In announcing the indictments in a nationally-televised press conference, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said, "Illegal steroid use calls into question not only the integrity of the athletes who use them but also the integrity of the sports that those athletes play."

The indictments charge the four men with entering into agreements with certain athletes who would provide endorsements for BALCO's legal supplement ZMA in exchange for performance-enhancing drugs. The arrangement was allegedly made to hide proceeds that would otherwise be traceable through Conte.

The men were also charged with distributing to athletes the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), formulated to beat standard doping tests.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees drug testing of Olympic athletes, announced THG's discovery and linked Conte and BALCO as the source last year.

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Terry Madden described a doping "conspiracy" involving chemists, coaches, and athletes. "What we have uncovered appears to be intentional doping of the worst sort," he said.

Other charges in the case include conspiracy to distribute steroids, possession of human growth hormone, misbranding drugs with intent to defraud, and money laundering.

The indictments resulted from an 18-month investigation that included testimony from several NFL and Major League Baseball marquee players, a champion boxer and champion swimmer, and track and field stars.

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