Kelly Blair, the owner of now-defunct 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness near Houston, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the authors and publisher of “American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America’s Pastime” on the eve of his grand jury testimony in the Roger Clemens perjury investigation. The book was written by the New York Daily News investigative journalism team consisting of Michael O’Keefe, Christian Red, Teri Thompson and Nathaniel Vinton. The suit also names the publisher (Knopf Doubleday) and one previously anonymous source (Robin Dobbins) cited in the book (”Authors and Publisher of Baseball Steroids Book Sued for Defamation, According to The Gibson Law Firm,” August 10).
Blair’s attorney, Jason A. Gibson, of The Gibson Law Firm, stated, “As the lawsuit alleges, Kelly Blair was maliciously and recklessly defamed by the authors and publishers of this book and at least one dubious source whose false allegations they published. Kelly looks forward to his day in court on this matter. In the meantime, he looks forward to testifying tomorrow before the grand jury in Washington.”
Kelly Blair’s lawsuit alleges that Robin Dobbins is responsible for the information in the book that links Blair directly to the sale of anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) to Major League Baseball (MLB) players Read more
The New York Times reports that IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitsky is making inquiries about several fitness professionals in the Houston area in an effort to substantiate the use of anabolic steroids and growth hormone by Roger Clemens in a possible federal perjury case. They have asked a former employee about Houston fitness guru Shaun K. Kelley, the owner of Shaun Kelley Weight Control.
Novitzky, who has spent the past five and a half years investigating the distribution of performance-enhancing drugs in professional sports, maintains a lead role in the perjury investigation, the lawyers said, and is interested in questioning a number of people in Houston, including Kelley.
As a result of the New York Times story and Kelley’s implied association with Clemens and performance enhancing drugs, the blogosphere has already started digging up dirt on Shaun Kelley.
Kelley told the New York Post last night on the phone that he never sold performancing enhancing drugs.
“Roger Clemens has never been in my store,” Kelley told The Post in a phone interview last night. “I’ve never sold steroids or growth hormone.” [...]
“That’s all the information these clowns from The Times have,” he said. “That is the weakest report I’ve ever seen printed. If all that they can come up with, they need to find new reporters.
“I will give the FBI a polygraph. I do not deal drugs. I’ve never done anything with Roger Clemens except shake his hand.”
Recently, Kelly Blair, another Houston fitness professional, made national headlines due to his association with MLB baseball player Andy Pettitte and alleged distribution of growth hormone and steroids; the media tried unsuccessfully to find links between Blair and Clemens but settled on trying to link him with a former pro bodybuilder awaiting trial on murder charges.
Obviously, the unwanted attention, unsubstantiated allegations, and government leaks by lawyers close to the investigation are bad for business in Houston fitness industry.
