Athletes' Names in Steroid Investigation to Be Given to Leagues, By: Danielle Sessa

March 14, 2007

Names of athletes who purchased steroids and other drugs on the Internet will be turned over to their professional sports leagues by the New York prosecutor running the investigation.

Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares, who met with officials from Major League Baseball and the National Football League, is turning over information to let the leagues conduct their own probes, spokeswoman Heather Streeter Orth said in an e-mail.

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. and former major-league players John Rocker and David Bell were identified in Sports Illustrated and other news media as among athletes who ordered muscle-building steroids and human growth hormone from Internet pharmacies.

Matthews has declined to comment other than apologizing to his teammates for causing a distraction. Rocker said last week he never purchased the drugs and Bell said he received the substances for a medical condition.

Baseball spokesman Pat Courtney didn't immediately return a message at his office seeking comment. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league hadn't received any names and declined further comment.

Soares met last week with representatives of former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, who was appointed by baseball last March to investigate past steroid use by players. The district attorney didn't give any names of athletes involved in the case to Mitchell's group, Orth said.