Former gym owner says he never gave Clemens HGH

[July 17, 2009]  HOUSTON (AP) -- A former gym owner in the Houston area says he never supplied Roger Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs and is looking forward to meeting with a grand jury investigating whether Clemens lied to Congress.

Kelly Blair received a subpoena on Tuesday and will testify before a grand jury in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 4.

Blair is the former owner of 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness in Pasadena. The FBI met with Blair in March 2008, about a month after opening its perjury investigation into Clemens.

Blair said Thursday night that he's never met Clemens, any members of the Clemens' family or anyone representing Clemens, including personal trainers or attorneys.

"I did not supply Roger Clemens (with) growth hormone," Blair said.

Trainer Brian McNamee has told Congress and federal investigators he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs from 1998 to 2001 or 2002. Clemens has denied those claims.

The FBI opened its perjury investigation in February 2008, after the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to the Justice Department.

Blair said he's eager to meet with the grand jury and clear up the implication that he provided steroids to Clemens. He said the media frenzy surrounding his alleged involvement ruined his business, sending away many of his high-paying clients and forcing him to shut down the gym.

"I'm ready for this to be over with, man," Blair said. "I have a lot to say in front of a federal grand jury. I am really excited about that."

Blair admitted that he once provided Andy Pettitte's father, Tom, with human growth hormone. Tom Pettitte has said he has taken HGH to treat health problems.

Blair said a client at his gym had a prescription for HGH. He said a member of Pettitte's family came to the gym, told him about Tom Pettitte's health and asked Blair to "sample" the HGH. Blair said he gave a small dose -- "a couple of bottles" -- to the Pettitte family member to give to Tom Pettitte.

"Do I think I supplied Tommy Pettitte? I think so," Blair said. "If it went to Andy Pettitte, then it's something that the family would've kept from me."

Blair says he's certain that supply of HGH didn't reach Clemens.

"Roger Clemens didn't get growth hormone from the Pettitte family through me," Blair said.

Pettitte and Clemens were former teammates with the New York Yankees and Houston Astros and trained together for years. Pettitte has acknowledged taking human growth hormone and told congressional investigators that Clemens informed him nearly a decade ago that he used HGH.

Blair expects the grand jury to ask him if he supplied Clemens and Pettitte with HGH. He said he's not worried about incriminating himself in any way. He has an attorney but intends to meet the grand jury without him.

"The FBI has to know that I'm not involved in this," Blair said. "They have my bank statements and my phone records, my whole life. I'm just going to go out there and tell the truth."

Blair said he's not aware that anyone else who worked at his gym has received a subpoena. He said an old acquaintance did get one -- a person whom he said has not been a part of his life for more than a decade.

He would not identify the person, but said they went to high school together and that person now has a relationship with Blair's ex-wife.

Now, Blair does in-home personal training and has clients in mixed martial arts. He's also recently trained boxers, including Samuel Peter, who lost a heavyweight championship fight to Vitali Klitschko in October 2008.

Blair said he never thought to contact Clemens and talk to him after the FBI met with him. He admitted that he is a fan of the seven-time Cy Young Award winner and believes Clemens' claim that he did not use steroids.

"I know that in the end, the truth is going to come out," Blair said. "And I'm just really excited about getting that out there."

[Associated Press; By CHRIS DUNCAN]

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