Victor Conte, Central Figure in the BALCO Lab Steroid Scandal, Dies at 75
Victor Conte, founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO), passed away on Monday at the age of 75. His family and SNAC Systems, the sports nutrition company he led, confirmed his death. Conte had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June.
“We are heartbroken by the passing of our fearless leader, SNAC mastermind, CEO, anti-doping advocate, creator of ZMA, and former bassist for Tower of Power and Herbie Hancock, Victor Conte. SNAC and his legacy will carry forward, strong and forever. We love you, Conte!” — SNAC Systems
Conte’s legacy is tied closely to one of the most infamous doping scandals in professional sports. BALCO became notorious after a 2003 investigation revealed that the company had been at the center of a sophisticated performance-enhancing drug network that implicated major athletes in baseball, boxing, and track and field, including Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, and Marion Jones.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency reported that Conte collaborated with chemist Patrick Arnold to create tetrahydrogestrinone, or “The Clear,” a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid engineered to evade then-current drug detection tests.
Author’s Summary
Victor Conte, who built the BALCO empire and reshaped global anti-doping efforts through controversy, leaves behind a complex legacy in sports and science.