Victor Conte, the central figure in one of the biggest performance-enhancing drug scandals in sports history, has died at age 75 after battling pancreatic cancer.
Conte’s company, Scientific Nutrition for Advanced Conditioning (SNAC), announced his death in a post on X, saying they were ‘Heartbroken by the Passing of our Fearless Leader.’ The company expressed its commitment to honoring his wishes and ensuring his legacy continues, stating, ‘SNAC and his Legacy will Carry Forward, Strong and Forever.’
Conte’s prior venture, BALCO, made national headlines in 2003 when federal agents raided his business and home as part of an investigation into the steroids scandal. The scandal involved the widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs and led to multiple athletes, including Barry Bonds and Marion Jones, being implicated in the federal probe.
After the raid, Conte pleaded guilty in 2005 to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering, admitting to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to several high-profile athletes. Among the athletes he admitted to having supplied drugs were Barry Bonds, the home run king of baseball, and Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones.
While Conte expressed remorse for his actions, he also reflected on his controversial legacy in a Netflix documentary. He stated, ‘When Marion Jones hit the finish line and won the gold medal, when Barry Bonds hit all these home runs, you know, any of these great accomplishments, those are things that I’ll always be proud of.’
Conte served four months in a low-security federal prison in California as part of his sentence. Despite his conviction, he continued to have a presence in the sports world, with his company SNAC developing and selling natural supplements. Additionally, he was an advisor in boxing, working with fighters like Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and Claressa Shields.
However, his legacy was not without controversy. Some questioned his ongoing involvement in sports, with fans of Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford expressing skepticism about his potential use of Conte’s methods during his recent fight against Canelo Alvarez. Conte himself downplayed such concerns, telling USA TODAY, ‘Please don’t stress the negativity of my past too much.’ He continued working with athletes even from his hospital bed in the final months of his life.
Conte’s death has sparked discussions about the broader implications of performance-enhancing drugs in sports and the enduring impact of his actions. His legacy remains a subject of debate, as some view him as a controversial but effective sports mentor, while others see him as a figure who tarnished the integrity of competitive sports through his involvement in the BALCO scandal.