Conte the villain now exudes honesty

**huge285** · 03-09-2012, 03:01 PM

Conte the villain now exudes honesty

ARNE LEYENBERG

Published:2012/03/08 08:11:50 AM

EITHER he has a real sense of humour or Victor Conte has actually learnt his lesson.

Those who want to work with Conte must prove even more than others that they are clean. Of all people, Conte, the main figure in one of the biggest doping scandals in sport, values honest athletes.
The former founder of the California steroid-producing sports nutrition centre, Balco, which had infamous clients such as world-class sprinters Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, is back in sport.
And it seems only fitting that Conte is making his comeback to boxing, a sport whose reputation could not be ruined even by someone like him.
"This is my comeback," Conte said in the US boxing magazine The Ring. He is working as a fitness trainer and nutritionist for world champions Nonito Donaire of the Philippines and American Andre Berto, as well as former champion Zab Judah of the US.

The American Olympic and world champion Andre Ward, who in December won the Super Six super-middleweight tournament, also has long relied on Conte’s methods.
Boxing has always been a stomping ground for bizarre and shady figures. And now they have accepted another of the like.

"Other sports such as baseball and football and track and field, I’ve basically been banned, or blackballed would be a better way to put it," said Conte in the US boxing magazine Boxing News.
"I’ve had some elite boxers that have found forgiveness in their hearts and given me the opportunity to work with them.

"They’re all world champions and that’s what I enjoy doing — being in the trenches and helping athletes to achieve their dreams and goals," he said.
In 2005, Conte was sentenced to four months in prison and four further months of home confinement after he was convicted of having systematically provided athletes with steroids and human growth hormones.

The Balco doping lab was exposed by an anonymous tip from an athletics trainer. But Conte now sounds reformed.

"I’m so grateful to have a second chance. Why would I do anything to screw it up? I don’t think there would be a third chance," he said.
Conte is so thankful for the break that he is now apparently working for free. "I do it because I love it. I’ve made my money."

US boxing promoter Bob Arum said: "I had a talk with Victor, and he’s assured me that he’s doing everything on the up and up. Given his past history, you have to believe that. He’d have to be really insane to (mess) around with all these eyes on him."

The world champion Donaire also does not doubt Conte. "What’s not to trust?" he asked.

"I told everybody that no matter if they doubt, I’m always willing to do Olympic-style drug testing or any type of drug testing that they want. If they have any doubts — test me."
Conte’s first venture in boxing came nine years ago when he provided Shane Mosley with illegal substances ahead of his split-decision victory over world champion Oscar de la Hoya.
Shortly after the Balco lab was raided in September 2003, Conte implicated Mosley as a client. The boxer replied with a defamation suit against Conte for $12m, but Mosley later willingly withdrew.
Conte has his boxers’ blood tested for mineral deficits and provides them with nutritional supplements while also counselling them about weight loss and everyday training. He even counsels sports officials in Nevada in effective doping controls.

For Conte knows that boxing has not been clean for a long time. He said illicit performanceenhancing drugs were "rampant" in the sport.
"The testing is basically inept. All they’re doing, these state boxing commissions, is testing before the fights and after the fights," he said. "(Doping-testing programmes) are an IQ test, because you’re an idiot if you fail one."