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[Definitie:] "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance."
(Wilmore and Costill) 
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0 1 - 0 3 - 2 0 0 5 Bodybuilders face Iowa trial on steroids charges
March 1, 2005
DES MOINES (AP) --- One year ago, federal agents from Des Moines arrived at Arnold Schwarzenegger's annual bodybuilding contest in Columbus, Ohio, to serve subpoenas to appear before a grand jury investigating steroids.
That investigation led to the indictment in Des Moines of two well-known bodybuilders, including a former Mr. Universe with ties to the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, the San Francisco business at the heart of the steroids scandal involving elite athletes.
While bodybuilders prepare to compete in this weekend's Arnold Classic in Ohio, two past competitors, Milos Sarcev and Dennis James, are preparing to face trial on charges they conspired to import steroids from Thailand.
A third man, Admir Kantarevic, a 33-year-old personal trainer from Des Moines, is charged with conspiracy and possession of anabolic steroids with the intent to deliver. He is the only link between Sarcev and James to Des Moines. Their trial, already delayed at least twice, has been pushed back to March 28 in federal court in Des Moines.
The case is being watched closely by the bodybuilding community, which complains it is being targeted. A felony conviction could doom the careers of James and Sarcev, who have competed around the world.
Sarcev, of Temecula, Calif., designed training workouts for some athletes that went to BALCO, whose founder, Victor Conte, is accused of distributing illegal performance enhancing drugs to more than 30 baseball, football and track stars. Sarcev has said he designed a workout regimen at Conte's request for world champion sprinter Tim Montgomery, who holds the world record in the 100 meters but has come under suspicion of steroid use, among others.
Sarcev's lawyer, Leon Spies of Iowa City, declined to discuss his work for BALCO but said: "He's been engaged in athletic training and sports nutrition in California and established a great reputation in both national and international circles."
Sarcev, 41, won the Mr. Yugoslavia crown in 1986 and 1987 and Mr. Universe two years later. He owns a Golds gym in Fullerton, Calif. James, nicknamed "The Menace," finished eighth at last year's Mr. Universe contest in Las Vegas, where he was served with papers notifying him of the grand jury indictment.
"Dennis is a professional bodybuilder. He's not involved in importing steroids," said Paul Scott, a lawyer for James.
Neither James nor Sarcev are among the competitors at this year's Arnold Classic, which runs from Friday until Sunday. The annual event named for Schwarzenegger, a five-time Mr. Universe, is considered one of the most prestigious in bodybuilding. The event features 14,000 athletes competing in 20 events. Schwarzenegger, now governor of California, plans to attend to hand out awards to the winner of the bodybuilding contest.
Over the weekend, Schwarnegger told ABC News that he had no regrets about using steroids during his years as a bodybuilder, noting they were legal at the time and taken under a doctor's supervision.
Arnold Classic organizer Jim Lorimer said he was amazed when federal narcotics agents from Des Moines showed up last year to serve subpoenas on bodybuilders. The move came four months after federal agents searched Sarcev's home in California, seizing his computer and other records.
Kantarevic has lived in Des Moines for several years. The indictment says that Kantarevic possessed steroids on April 9, 2003, and that he conspired to import them from Thailand, where James has a home.
Prosecutors say a box containing steroids was mailed to Kantarevic, who said he is innocent. "It's been really bad for me. I feel like I've really been slapped in the face," Kantarevic told The Associated Press in a brief telephone interview. "It's affected my business, my life, everything."
Judge Ronald E. Longstaff last week delayed the trial from March 7 after Spies said he needed more time to review investigation reports and other documents recently provided by prosecutors.
Spies also has filed a motion seeking a copy of a monitored phone call between Sarcev and one of the co-defendants, which is "deemed critical to the prosecution and the defense," the motion said.
2 5 - 0 6 - 2 0 0 5 Bodybuilders in illegal steroids case get separate trials
AP
IOWA CITY, Iowa — A federal judge has agreed to sever the trial of three bodybuilders, one a former Mr. Universe, charged with conspiring to import anabolic steroids from Thailand.
In an order filed Thursday, U.S. District Judge James Gritzner granted a motion by Dennis Tyron James and Milos Sarcev seeking to have a trial separate from defendant Admir Kantarevic.
All three were scheduled for trial July 6 in federal court in Des Moines. But attorneys for James and Sarcev, who was crowned Mr. Universe in 1989, argued for the separation based on incriminating statements Kantarevic made to investigators after his arrest.
If all three were tried together, the statements could infringe on the Sixth Amendment rights of Sarcev and James to confront their accuser and confuse the jury, attorneys said.
According to legal documents, Kantarevic allegedly told federal Drug Enforcement Agency investigators that ‘‘it was through Sarcev, and his contacts to include Dennis James and an unknown female in Thailand, that he was obtaining anabolic steroids.’’
Federal prosecutors did not contest separating Kantarevic’s trial from the others.
The judge ordered that the trial for Kantarevic remain set for July 6, but he ordered a hearing to determine a trial date for Sarcev and James, according to the order.
Sarcev, 41, a two-time winner of Mr. Yugoslavia who now lives in Temecula, Calif., designed workouts for athletes who went to BALCO, the San Francisco business at the heart of the steroids scandal involving several Major League baseball players. He owns a Golds gym in Fullerton, Calif.
James, 35, charged with one count of importing anabolic steroids, is also a well known competitor on the bodybuilding circuit. Last year, James, nicknamed ‘‘The Menace,’’ finished eighth in the Mr. Universe competition, held in Las Vegas, and has denied any wrongdoing.
Kantarevic has lived in Des Moines for several years. The indictment says that Kantarevic possessed steroids on April 9, 2003, and that he conspired to import them from Thailand, where James has a home.
Prosecutors say a box containing steroids was mailed to Kantarevic.
0 6 - 0 7 - 2 0 0 5 Judge postpones steroid trial
Defense attorneys say plea deal is imminent
Wednesday, July 6, 2005
A federal judge has agreed to delay the trial of a Des Moines bodybuilder accused of conspiring to import illegal steroids from Thailand.
Admir Kantarevic is one of three defendants in the case and his trial was scheduled to begin Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Des Moines.
But judge James Gritzner postponed the trial after defense attorneys filed a motion stating both sides are close to reaching a plea agreement, which would avoid the need for a trial.
Federal prosecutors did not contest the extension, according to court documents.
Kantarevic, who has lived in Des Moines for several years, is charged with Milos Sarcev, crowned Mr. Universe in 1989, and Dennis Tyron James, in a 2003 indictment with importing anabolic steroids from Thailand, where James has a home.
Last month, defense attorneys convinced the judge to separate Kantarevic's trial from the other two, saying he made incriminating statements to investigators about the role of Sarcev and James in the alleged conspiracy.
Prosecutors say a box containing the steroids was mailed to Kantarevic's home.
Trial dates for Sarcev and James have not yet been set.
0 3 - 1 1 - 2 0 0 5 Bodybuilder accepts steroid deal
AP DES MOINES, IA - Federal prosecutors say they have reached a deal with a Des Moines bodybuilder who was charged last year with importing and distributing illegal steroids. Admir Kantarevic, 34, a former personal trainer, was one of three professional bodybuilders accused in a conspiracy to import anabolic steroids from Thailand in spring 2003. Kantarevic was charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
The other two men accused in the scheme include Milos Sarcev, who lives in California and is a two-time winner of the Mr. Yugoslavia competition, and Dennis James, who finished eighth in the 2004 Mr. Universe contest. According to court documents, Kantarevic, 34, agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge, possession of steroids, and to cooperate in the ongoing investigation and trial of James and Sarcev. In return, federal prosecutors have agreed to dismiss two other charges contained in the original indictment. There is no mandatory minimum sentence for the offense, but Kantarevic could face up to one year in prison, fines up to $100,000 and one-year probation, according to court records. Under terms of the deal, Kantarevic will admit to receiving in January 2003 the first of two packages of steroids sent by Sarcev through the mail.
Two months later, Kantarevic asked Sarcev for a second shipment, according to court documents. During that conversation, Sarcev allegedly told Kantarevic that he would travel to Thailand, where James has a home, and "send something" addressed to Kantarevic's wife, Gordana, to avoid arousing suspicion. Sarcev also allegedly told Kantarevic he would have to pay James for the steroids. According to the plea agreement, Kantarevic has acknowledged receiving on April 9, 2003, a package mailed from Thailand containing more than 21,400 units of steroids in oral form and 993 milliliters of liquid steroids. The judge has not set a court date for Kantarevic to formally enter his plea. Telephone messages left with Kantarevic's attorney, Alfredo Parrish, were not immediately returned Wednesday. The trial for Sarcev and James, nicknamed "The Menace," is scheduled to begin Dec. 12 in federal court in Des Moines. 2 4 - 1 1 - 2 0 0 5 Milos Sarcev: Case closed
Milos_Sarcev
Indictment charges against Dennis and me are DISMISSED! After negotiations and full review of the merits of the case, the prosecutor offered misdemeanor. There was no trial. Neither Dennis nor myself "cooperated" against anybody to reduce our plea agreement. We were NEVER charged with steroid distribution or steroid possession nor were we convicted of any distribution or trafficking charge. We pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charge: CONSPIRACY TO POSSESS anabolic steroids for personal use. After more than 2 years of reading and hearing "disturbing news" about Dennis and me (as being king pins of steroid distribution worldwide) I will have a chance to give specifics about the case and expose WHY were we even being investigated?
Milos Sarcev (rechts) op visite bij Dennis James (links) in Thailand.
However, what is really important for me to point out is: Federal Government conducted most comprehensive investigation to date on IFBB professional bodybuilders in effort to find Dennis and myself guilty of wrongdoing. Agents invaded the Arnold Classic (March 2004, Columbus Ohio) giving dozens of subpoenas to many top IFBB professional and NPC amateur bodybuilders. If Dennis and I were indeed distributors - these bodybuilders would be the most logical customers. Hundreds of people in my home town (Temecula) and Fullerton (my work place) were questioned and both my home and my gym were put under the surveillance. My house was searched, my financial records reviewed. And I am sure many other aspects of comprehensive investigation were applied. IF I was really doing what agents suspected, would I (we) be able to get out with misdemeanor charge "conspiracy to possess" and NOTHING ELSE? Bodybuilding magazines will get a full story and this is only a brief statement with intention to stop more unnecessary rumors. 2 9 - 1 1 - 2 0 0 5 Two bodybuilders plead guilty to conspiracy in steroids case
AP IOWA CITY, Iowa -- A pair of internationally known bodybuilders indicted two years ago in connection with a shipment of anabolic steroids from Thailand have pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges.
Milos Sarcev, a two-time winner of the Mr. Yugoslavia competition, and Denis Tyron James, a top-ten finisher in the 2004 Mr. Universe contest, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess anabolic steroids, a misdemeanor, according to court documents. Under plea agreements reached last week, Sarcev was fined $10,000 and James was fined $1,000, the minimum fine under the federal law. Both men also agreed to a year of unsupervised probation. In return, prosecutors dismissed two other felony charges contained in the original indictment. The pleas wrap up a case that began two years ago with the indictment of Sarcev, James and a third man, Admir Kantarevic, a bodybuilder and personal trainer from Des Moines. The trio were accused of scheming to import and distribute illegal steroids from Thailand, where James lives. Earlier this month, Kantarevic, 34, pleaded guilty to possession of steroids for receiving two packages mailed to him in the spring of 2003. In statements filed with U.S. District Court, James admitted arranging to mail steroids to Sarcev on Feb. 11, 2003. Sarcev admitted shipping steroids to Kantarevic in March 2003, according to court records. Sarcev, who lives in California, is a friend and former training consultant of Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or BALCO. Conte was sentenced in October to four months in prison his role in a scheme to provide pro athletes, including baseball, football and track stars, with undetectable banned performance enhancing drugs. Sarcev's attorney, Leon Spies, of Iowa City, declined to comment on the impact the crime could have on Sarcev's training and nutritional business. Spies also declined to explain why the fine imposed on Sarcev, 41, who won the Mr. Yugoslavia crown in 1986 and 1987 and Mr. Universe two years later, was 10 times that of James. "Plainly it was a matter that brought him a lot of professional concern," Spies said Monday. "But to have it resolved on a misdemeanor level alleviated a lot of concerns both for Milos and those who work for him." James, 36, nicknamed "The Menace," finished eighth in the 2004 Mr. Universe competition in Las Vegas. Telephone messages left Monday for his attorney, Paul Scott, of Clive, were not immediately returned. According to statements made as part of Kantarevic's plea, Kantarevic asked and received from Sarcev a package mailed in January 2003. Months later, Kantarevic asked Sarcev for a second shipment. During that conversation, Sarcev allegedly told Kantarevic that he would travel to Thailand, where James has a home, and "send something" addressed to Kantarevic's wife to avoid arousing suspicion. Sarcev also allegedly told Kantarevic to pay James for the steroids. 0 5 - 1 2 - 2 0 0 5 Plea deal to finish D.M. steroid probe
Bargains such as this one send mixed signals to young athletes, says a legal observer
By JEFF ECKHOFF A wide-ranging federal steroid investigation that centered on Des Moines and targeted several world-class bodybuilders will wrap up next week without anyone going to prison, legal sources say. A professor who studies steroid cases said the flurry of plea bargains that will result in probation and fines undercuts the high-profile national crackdown on performance-enhancing drugs pushed by President Bush in his State of the Union address last year. But a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Des Moines balked at a suggestion that the probe, which drew attention from sports journalists intrigued by an alleged connection to the BALCO drug scandal in California, is letting offenders off lightly. "I don't think we ever said this case was the biggest case ever prosecuted in the Southern District of Iowa," spokesman Al Overbaugh said. "Maybe people built up a higher expectation than they had a right to." Admir "Dado" Kantarevic, a Des Moines personal trainer, is scheduled to plead guilty Dec. 13 to misdemeanor possession charges. That will follow similar pleas from Milos Sarcev , a former Mr. Yugoslavia and Mr. Universe, and Dennis James, an eighth-place finisher in the 2004 Mr. Universe competition. The three had each faced up to five years in prison for allegedly being involved in a conspiracy to import anabolic steroids to Des Moines. Sarcev and James were fined and put on probation last week on reduced charges. "The government's got their convictions, and we got a deal that we could live with that will allow Dennis to go on with his life and his career," said Paul Scott, James' attorney. Rick Collins, Sarcev's attorney, declined to comment about the case, which took shape not long after Bush, in his 2004 State of the Union address, said: "Get rid of steroids now." Indictments against suspects in a separate Mason City steroid-distribution case led to prison sentences, but some high-profile cases such as the prosecution of BALCO owner Victor Conte Jr., a friend of Sarcev's, have resulted in plea agreements for probation or only a few months behind bars. Michael McCann, an assistant professor at Mississippi College of Law, said the outcomes send a mixed message to teenage athletes. "Certainly, we're doing more about that than we used to. But it seems as if the initial press conference and the arrest is dwarfed by the subsequent reaction," McCann said. "I still think there's value to doing the initial splash, but it undercuts the message. If we're going to arrest people, then you think it would be worth prosecuting them and sending them to prison." ESPN reports and bodybuilding Web sites have said the Des Moines investigation, which began on the heels of the BALCO probe in San Francisco, included grand jury subpoenas delivered in early 2004 at an annual Ohio bodybuilding competition put on by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Anywhere from five to 30 world-class bodybuilders were ordered to testify, according to news reports, although the case eventually narrowed to a single box of steroids found by federal authorities in Kantarevic's mail. Prosecutors allege that Kantarevic received a package in April 2003 that contained "21,432 units of anabolic steroids in oral form" and 993 milliliters of a liquid. Kantarevic said the package arrived unsolicited a few months after he had recruited clients to pay for a bodybuilding seminar with Sarcev in Des Moines. Court papers describe an agreement for James to send steroids to Sarcev in February 2003. Sarcev later mailed a package to Kantarevic with "approximately 528 units" of steroids, documents allege. News reports said agents later in 2003 raided the home of Sarcev, who designed workouts for BALCO clients. Conte, who allegedly provided steroids to a host of professional athletes, agreed in July to serve four months in prison and four months on house arrest. As part of their pleas, James agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and Sarcev will pay $10,000. |
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