Kerr Says Evidence Linking Astaphan Was Not Allowed

Dr. Robert Kerr said Wednesday that he has evidence further linking Ben Johnson’s doctor to the anabolic steroid that resulted in the Canadian sprinter’s positive drug test in the 1988 Summer Olympics.

But the San Gabriel sports-medicine specialist said he was not allowed to present the evidence when he testified Monday before the Canadian government’s commission of inquiry into drug use by athletes.

Dr. Jamie Astaphan had testified earlier that he supervised Johnson’s drug program for four years, administering a final injection of a steroid to the sprinter only 27 days before Johnson ran in the 100-meter final at Seoul.

But Astaphan maintained that he had not given Johnson stanozolol, the steroid that produced the positive test after the race.

The commission presented evidence that Astaphan had bought massive quantities of Winstrol V, a veterinary preparation containing stanozolol. Astaphan said that the drug was used in the treatment of animals on his native Caribbean island of St. Kitts.

But Kerr, who is recognized as an authority in the treatment of athletes with steroids, even though he announced in 1984 that he was quitting the practice, said he learned earlier this year that Astaphan also recommended use of the Winstrol V for athletes.

In a telephone interview, Kerr said that an unidentified Dutch track coach told him in 1987 that he had bought a vial of an injectable steroid from Astaphan, who, according to the coach, identified the drug by two names, MGA and Estrogol.

After the inquiry began, Kerr said he asked the Dutch coach to send him the vial. Kerr said he gave half of the substance to the UCLA analytical laboratory, where testing for the U.S. Olympic Committee is conducted, and half to Robert Armstrong, co-counsel for the commission. Kerr said that testing revealed that the substance was Winstrol V.

Astaphan acknowledged during testimony that he had spoken with the Dutch coach, but the doctor said they had not discussed steroids. He was not asked about the alleged sale of Winstrol V to the coach.

Armstrong tried to question Kerr about the information Monday, but the commissioner, Ontario associate chief justice Charles Dubin, would not allow it. He ruled that the evidence was hearsay, which he said could not be substantiated because Astaphan had denied it under oath.

“I’d like for the truth to come out about Astaphan,” he said.

Astaphan was not available for comment.

Based on other evidence previously presented, Armstrong said earlier that the “overwhelming inference” is that Astaphan gave the stanozolol to Johnson.