Overview
- SNAC announced on social media that Conte died Nov. 3 at age 75, with multiple outlets noting he had been treated for pancreatic cancer after disclosing a diagnosis earlier this year.
- In 2003, federal agents raided BALCO and Conte’s home, and he pleaded guilty in 2005 to conspiracy to distribute steroids and money laundering, serving four months in federal prison.
- BALCO’s designer drugs known as “the cream” and “the clear,” developed with chemist Patrick Arnold, reached elite athletes including Barry Bonds and Marion Jones, whose cases became landmarks of the era.
- The investigation, aided by a syringe sent to USADA by coach Trevor Graham, led to convictions, congressional scrutiny, and helped push Major League Baseball toward stricter testing policies and the Mitchell inquiry.
- After prison, Conte relaunched SNAC, advised champions such as Terence Crawford and Claressa Shields, promoted VADA testing, and remained a polarizing voice as investigators like Jeff Novitzky questioned his claimed reform.