Doping revelations could come in Graham trial next month

Embattled athletics coach Trevor Graham warned that his upcoming trial on doping-related charges could lead to revelations that will humiliate retired athletics stars from around the world.

Graham told the Washington Post in comments published Saturday that the trial, set to open here May 19, would reveal links to Angel Heredia, the main witness against Graham and an admitted dealer of performance-enhancing drugs.

"The problem with my trial now, you have got the Olympic Games coming up," Graham told the Post. "There's going to be a lot of publicity on a lot of people's parts who did a lot of things behind closed doors.

"Now it's all going to be dragged out in front of the whole world. It's going to embarass the United States and it's going to embarass these athletes. These athletes are retired. They have moved on."

Graham faced 15 years in prison and 750,000 dollars in fines if he is convicted on three charges of lying to federal investigators in 2004 about his relationship with Heredia, who told the Post the trial would be "explosive".

Graham, who said he has rejected several plea bargain discussions and will not consider taking a plea deal, claims Heredia's client list included European and Caribbean athletes as well as Americans.

"I got my list and Trevor has his list," Heredia told the Post, adding that he considers Graham "the biggest liar there is in track and field and the biggest hypocrite."

Graham gave a syringe of a previously undetectable steroid to US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) investigators to touch off the BALCO steroid scandal in 2003, a fact he would not admit until several years later.

Heredia, 33, has not been charged with any crime but told investigators in 2006 that he supplied drugs to several athletes, coaches and agents.

Graham once coached disgraced former athletics star Marion Jones, who is now serving a six-month prison sentence after admitting she lied to investigators about taking steroids, saying in a plea deal that Graham gave her steroids.

Other witnesses expected to testify according to documents filed here in US District Court include Michelle Collins and Calvin Harrison, both 400-meter runners who received doping bans in connection with the BALCO scandal.

Graham's lawyers argued that USADA should be required to share notes of interviews between its attorneys and several former athletes connected to Graham.

Those athletes include Jones' ex-husband and shot putter C.J. Hunter, Collins and Harrison and hurdler Duane Ross, all formerly coached by Graham.

US District Court Judge Susan Ellston told the New York Times that she intendeed to require USADA share those notes with Graham's lawyers. They had refused, saying they were privledged and could reveal anti-doping techniques.

Defense lawyers are expected to shift the focus to Heredia, saying investigators should have pursued him as a supplier rather than Graham.

Heredia has said he provided drugs to more than 25 star athletes and showed the Times a 10,000-dollar wire transfer from Maurice Greene, the US sprint star who retired in February.

The IAAF, athletics' global governing body, has asked Greene to provide a detailed explanation about the matter.

Greene, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a five-time world champion who is now retired, has denied using drugs and has never failed a drug test.