TORONTO - A Canadian sports doctor facing charges over an unapproved drug has been unfairly ensnared by a media frenzy surrounding superstar golfer Tiger Woods, the doctor's lawyer said Friday.
Dr. Anthony Galea, 51, has been charged with four counts relating to Actovegin. Though his lawyer, prominent defence counsel Brian Greenspan, has said Galea has treated Woods, he said that has nothing to do with the charges.
"Any suggestion of any linkage to Tiger Woods is non-existent," Greenspan said outside court Friday.
"I'm saying categorically it does not relate to anything that's alleged before this court."
Greenspan has not said Galea denies going to Florida and treating Woods, just that it's "totally irrelevant" to the legal proceedings. The charges don't allege Galea delivered the substance to anyone's home or anywhere else in the U.S., just that he intended or conspired to, Greenspan said.
Surrounded by a throng of not just Toronto journalists, but reporters from American newspaper and television stations, Greenspan said they were wasting their time if they were only covering Galea's court case because of Woods.
"It would appear that the only reason once again that there's so much media attention being directed to this matter is a suggestion that somehow this is related to or tied to the story relating to Tiger Woods," Greenspan said.
"There is no validity to that suggestion whatsoever."
Galea was not in court Friday -- he was not required to be there -- when Greenspan received disclosure of some of the Crown's evidence against Galea and a new court date of Jan. 28 was set.
The name Tiger Woods does not appear in any of that evidence, Greenspan said.
Woods has become a news and tabloid fixture recently after a mysterious car crash prompted a long list of women to publicly allege he has had extra-marital affairs with them.
Galea is charged with selling an unapproved drug under the Food and Drugs Act, conspiracy to import an unapproved drug and conspiracy to export a drug under the Criminal Code, and smuggling goods into Canada under the Customs Act.
The RCMP allege it was Galea's "intent to treat some of his patients outside Canada with Actovegin."
The harshest penalty he faces is with the Customs Act charge, under which he faces a maximum of five years in prison.
Greenspan said Actovegin is used worldwide by "numerous specialists in the sports field."
"Our position is there was nothing unlawful about Dr. Galea's use of that substance in Canada and therefore these charges are without merit," he said.
Actovegin, which contains calf blood, has stirred up controversy over its efficacy and legality.
It has been used in Germany and Italy. It's not on the list of banned substances for the World Anti-Doping Agency, unless it's used by intravenous infusion. Some sports experts who work with athletes even question its performance enhancing benefits, saying it's more used to speed recovery from injuries.
A police spokesman has said Health Canada informed officers that the form of the drug allegedly administered and sold to patients in Canada and exported to the U.S. is illegal in Canada.
But in Ontario, where Galea practises, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario recommends doctors avoid prescribing drugs not approved for use in Canada, but adds it's not prohibited.
The charges against Galea come after the RCMP raided his Institute of Sports Medicine Health and Wellness Centre on Oct. 15 in Toronto.
Greenspan has said the investigation began when the doctor's assistant, who often drove Galea around, was stopped at the Canada-U.S. border.
Galea's assistant has been charged in the U.S. for having Human Growth Hormone and another drug while crossing the border in September.
