Shane Mosley admitted EPO use to BALCO grand jury

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Pomona’s ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley discussed his use of the oxygen-boosting drug EPO with the grand jury that investigated the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) earlier this decade, the New York Daily News reported late Tuesday.

The revelation comes after Mosley admitted to The Times earlier this year that he injected his stomach with a substance he had believed were vitamins in preparation for his narrow 2003 decision victory over Oscar De La Hoya. BALCO founder Victor Conte dismissed that claim, telling The Times in an April story that the boxer knew exactly what he was taking [EPO] -- a claim affirmed in a lawsuit involving former Mosley conditioning coach Derryl Hudson.

Mosley won the late rounds on judges’ scorecards to gain the victory.

Conte, embroiled in a lawsuit filed by Mosley, told The Times in an e-mail late Tuesday night that the grand jury information was important to his case. Mosley alleges Conte committed slander in his allegations that the boxer used EPO and a then-undetectable steroid to help beat De La Hoya.

‘This is the first time it has been reported that Mosley knowingly used EPO,’ Conte wrote. ‘His grand jury testimony clearly shows that he knew exactly what he was injecting and that it was not vitamins. Mosley has previously admitted that he used the clear, the cream and EPO, however, his previous claims have been that he did so unknowingly. His testimony clearly shows that he knew full well that he was using a performance enhancing drug called EPO and that he admits that he was told by me what the effects would be.’

-- Lance Pugmire