Jeff Novitzky
Jeff Novitzky | |
|---|---|
| Born | Jeffrey John Novitzky December 15, 1967 |
| Nationality | United States |
| Occupation(s) | Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance |
| Employer | UFC |
| Known for | BALCO scandal, Lance Armstrong doping case |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)[1] |
Jeff Novitzky (born December 15, 1967) is the current Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance for the UFC. He previously served as an agent for the Food and Drug Administration, investigating the use of steroids in professional sports. Before April 2008 he was a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service who investigated the use of steroids for over five years.[2]
Early life and education
Novitzky grew up in Burlingame, California and graduated from Mills High School in Millbrae in 1986.[3][4] Novitzky enrolled at the University of Arizona on a track and field scholarship,[5] before transferring to Skyline College. Novitzky played two seasons of basketball at Skyline but just one game in his second season due to injuries. In 1989, Novitzky transferred to San Jose State University on a basketball scholarship. For the San Jose State Spartans, Novitzky played two games as a reserve forward in the 1989–90 season, Stan Morrison's first as head coach.[6] Again, injuries limited Novitzky's playing time to those two games.[5] Novitzky graduated from San Jose State in 1992 with a degree in accounting.[7]
Investigations
Novitzky first gained public notoriety during his role as a federal agent for the IRS. In a 2002 investigation which came to be known as the BALCO scandal, he led a raid on a San Francisco laboratory co-operative that was supplying banned substances to athletes. The resulting fallout implicated many well-known athletes in cheating at various high level competitions including Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Olympic Games. Notable athletes involved included Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, Barry Bonds, Bill Romanowski, and Jason Giambi.[8][9][10][11][1][12]
On May 20, 2010, the New York Daily News reported that Novitzky was involved in an investigation into performance enhancing drug use on Lance Armstrong's Tour de France teams, and that Armstrong's former teammate Floyd Landis was cooperating with the investigation.[13] Previously, Marion Jones, a track and field Olympian winner, pleaded guilty in October 2007 to making false statements to Novitzky. Novitzky was also able to convince Kirk Radomski, a former New York Mets club house worker, to become a government informer. Radomski has now been convicted of distributing anabolic steroids to over a dozen MLB players.
The bulk of the names provided in the Mitchell Report about doping in Major League Baseball were provided by a personal trainer and a dealer whom Novitzky persuaded to talk.[14]
In his book The Secret Race, former professional cyclist Tyler Hamilton wrote that Novitzky drove a "bulldozer" through the sport of cycling in uncovering details about the pervasive use of performance enhancing drugs.[15]
Starting in April 2015, Novitzky began working for the UFC as their Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance. Within this role, Novitzky will spearhead anti-doping efforts within the organization.[16][10][1]
Criticism
Novitzky has been criticized by certain defendants in steroid-related cases as being biased and unfair.[3] Novitzky, in multiple cross examinations, including during the federal perjury investigation of Roger Clemens, has been a credible government witness. [17][18] [19]
References
- ^ a b c Maese, Rick (2 May 2016). "He busted Marion Jones and Lance Armstrong; now top steroid cop works for UFC". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ Watching athletes go cold turkey Archived 2012-05-27 at the Wayback Machine M & G
- ^ a b Wilson, Duff; Schmidt, Michael S. (November 8, 2007). "A Harvest of Trash and Turmoil for an Agent Fighting Steroids". New York Times. Retrieved 2007-02-10.
- ^ "Mills High School". mhsvikings.olinesports.com. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
- ^ a b Fainaru-Wada, Mark; Williams, Lance (2006), Game of Shadows: Barry Bonds, BALCO, and the Steroids Scandal that Rocked Professional Sports, Penguin, ISBN 110121676X
- ^ "1990 San Jose State Spartans". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-09.
- ^ "Big Fish". Outside Magazine. September 30, 2010. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
- ^ Peter, Josh (3 September 2018). "BALCO figures offer how to rid sports of doping 15 years after scandal". USA Today. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ Peter, Josh (14 October 2015). "Jeff Novitzky opens up on Barry Bonds, BALCO investigation". USA Today. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ a b Peter, Josh (14 October 2015). "Jeff Novitzky, responsible for BALCO bust, aims to clean up UFC". USA Today. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ Pessah, Jon (1 March 2009). "Over the Line? Critics Conflicted on Steroids Crusader". ABC News. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ "Jose Canseco to spill juice to Jeff Novitzky and feds". Daily News. New York.
- ^ Vinton, Nathaniel (2010-05-20). "Floyd Landis outlines elaborate doping system in letters, details Lance Armstrong's alleged role". The New York Daily News. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
- ^ Schmidt, Michael S. (30 December 2007). "Jeff Novitzky". The New York Times. Retrieved 25 December 2018.
- ^ "Tyler Hamilton exposes cult of back-alley tactic that helped Lance Armstrong make millions in new book 'The Secret Race'". Daily News. New York.
- ^ "Anti-Doping Expert Jeff Novitzky Joins UFC as Vice President of Athlete Health and Performance". Retrieved 2016-09-09.
- ^ "Roger Clemens' defense lawyer Rusty Hardin squares off with federal investigator Jeff Novitzky on the stand at perjury trial". Daily News. New York.
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2012-09-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Sherdog.com. "Breen: What Exactly is Jeff Novitzky's Deal With Jon Jones?". Sherdog.