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Victor Conte, the central figure in one of the biggest performance-enhancing drug scandals in sports history, has died aged 75.
Conte’s company, Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning (SNAC), announced his death in a post on X, saying he had been battling pancreatic cancer.
“We are devastated by the passing of our fearless leader,” the post said. “We will honor his wishes. SNAC and his legacy will carry on, strong and forever. We LOVE you, Conte!”
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Victor Conte, BALCO’s founder, has passed away at the age of 75. His company, SNAC, announced his death on social media. (IMAGIN)
Conte’s previous venture, BALCO, made national headlines in 2003 when federal agents raided the company as well as his Northern California home as part of an investigation into the steroid scandal that rocked several sports leagues, most notably Major League Baseball.
He later pleaded guilty in 2005 to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering, admitting to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to several high-profile athletes, including baseball’s home run king Barry Bonds and Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones.
MARLON BYRD NO BURDENS BY WORKING WITH CONTE
While Conte expressed remorse for his role, he also reflected on his controversial legacy in a Netflix documentary:
“When Marion Jones hit the finish line and won the gold medal, when Barry Bonds hit all those home runs, you know, any of these big accomplishments, those are things I’ll always be proud of.”
Victor Conte, founder of BALCO speaks to the media at the Federal Courthouse following his sentencing in the BALCO steroid case on October 18, 2005 in San Francisco, California. The case, which brought international attention to athletes’ use of steroids, ended today with Victor Conte receiving four months in prison and four months of house arrest. (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
Conte ended up serving four months in a low-security federal prison in California as part of his sentence.
Conte’s SNAC developed and sold natural nutritional supplements, but he was not completely blackballed from sports. He was a consultant in the boxing world, with clients including Terence “Bud” Crawford and Claressa Shields.
That’s not to say Conte still didn’t have detractors, as Crawford’s recent fight against Canelo Alvarez brought skeptics who believed he might be unfaithful with Conte on his team.
“Please don’t emphasize the negativity of my past too much,” Conte said via USA TODAY before Crawford’s unanimous decision victory over Alvarez to make him a three-belt champion.
Founder and President of BALCO, Victor Conte speaks at the “Tribeca Talks: Injecting The American Dream” panel discussion during the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival on May 3, 2008 in New York City. (Scott Wintrow/Getty Images)
Conte was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May, but continued to work with athletes from his hospital bed in his final months.
