Athletes linked to Anthony Galea

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Sep 24, 2010

Athletes linked to Anthony Galea

Tiger Woods

Anthony Galea is a Canadian sports medicine doctor who specializes in a technique known as platelet-rich plasma therapy (PRP). In December 2009, the New York Times and The Associated Press reported that Galea was under criminal investigation for allegedly supplying performance-enhancing drugs to professional athletes, specifically HGH. Almost a year later, despite the stigma surrounding him, Galea is as popular as ever. SI.com presents a few of the prominent athletes who have been connected to Galea, starting with Tiger Woods. Galea allegedly made house calls to Woods now infamous Windermere, Fla., home in February and March 2009 after his agents became concerned with Woods' slower-than-expected recovery from knee surgery. Woods vehemently denies ever receiving HGH or any other performance-enhancing drugs.

Alex Rodriguez

Alex Rodriguez allegedly received numerous visits from Galea in New York during the 2009 MLB season. Those with knowledge of the situation claim Galea injected the slugger's nagging hip in the presence of his then-girlfriend, Kate Hudson. Representatives for Hudson are not aware of such an instance, and Rodriguez's camp declined to comment on the situation.

Jamal Lewis

Jamal Lewis began seeing Galea in 2006 after he developed bone spurs in his right ankle. Subsequent injuries and distrust of team doctors led Lewis to recommend Galea's services to other NFL teammates as well.

Dara Torres

The ageless Dara Torres said Galea diagnosed a tear in her quad tendon and drained fluid from her knee. Apart from that, she claims Galea provided her with no other treatment.

Chris Simms

Galea gave Chris Simms plasma injections as the former Texas star was recovering from a spleen injury in 2007. Simms, however, denies that the Canadian doctor ever gave him HGH. "If I'm on HGH, I'm getting ripped off," he told the AP , "because I don't really look the way I should with my shirt off."

Huston Street

Huston Street received treatment from Galea in 2007 and 2008 when the Rockies' closer was still with the Athletics. Street said his 2007 treatments consisted solely of oxygen therapy and manual therapy. He claims he stuck with Galea for the doctor's ability to pinpoint injuries and their causes.

Donovan Bailey

Galea's work with Donovan Bailey catapulted the doctor to the upper echelon of sports doctors. Bailey ruptured his left Achilles in 1998 but came back less than two years later to run the 100-meter in under 10 seconds. When asked what Galea's secret was, Bailey credited the doctor for using therapies such as oxygen treatments to expedite the sprinter's recovery.

Jose Reyes

Referred by teammate Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes visited Galea during the 2009 MLB season. Concerned about Galea's methods, the New York Mets sent a member of their medical staff along with Reyes. Unlike others who swear by Galea's PRP therapy, Reyes claimed the treatment did not help his torn right hamstring.

Patrick Chan

Patrick Chang met with Galea to help speed up the recovery of Chang's calf injury.

Chris Bosh

The newest member of the Miami Heat troika supposedly visited Galea in 2009 when a left-hamstring injury caused Bosh to miss Toronto Raptors training camp. Then based out of Toronto, like Galea, Bosh claimed that the PRP injections helped him return in time for the start of the 2009 NBA season.

Santana Moss

Santana Moss received treatment from Galea and was the unnamed NFL player in an affidavit that surfaced in connection with the criminal complaint filed against the doctor. Moss maintains that his treatment was routine.

Carlos Beltran

In a move that angered Mets officials, Carlos Beltran visited Galea in regards to a bone bruise in the summer of 2009. He claims he worked with Galea for a month and felt better following a rehab program. The Mets were angered that Beltran went to see Galea without the team's approval.