Wednesday, April 7, 2010
News Columnists / Joe Warmington
Tiger's future may hinge on Toronto ties
By JOE WARMINGTON, QMI Agency
Last Updated: April 6, 2010 10:01am
The most important woman in the Tiger Woods story may turn out to be, not his wife or any of his mistresses, but a former medical assistant from Etobicoke.
That’s because, far away from the lights and cameras of an Augusta National news conference Monday, it’s Mary Anne Catalano who may know the true story on whether Tiger is not just a cheater in the bedroom but also cheating to be better on the golf course.
So far she is not talking publicly.
But the 33-year-old Catalano — who was charged with smuggling medical supplies across the border at Buffalo on Sept. 14 — is talking with U.S. federal authorities about all that she knows regarding the operation of the Institute of Sports Medicine Health and Wellness Centre on Brown’s Line. Her duties have included going on many trips with Anthony Galea to visit athletes south of the border.
At least one of the trips was to Tiger Woods’ Florida home.
There has been no allegation that Woods has taken performance-enhancing drugs, but Monday, for the first time, the golfer acknowledged that Galea — who is charged with selling an unapproved drug and conspiracy to import an unapproved drug (Actovegin) — did visit him. “He did come to my house,” Tiger said of Galea, adding “he never gave me HGH (human growth hormone) or any PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs).”
Saying “I have never taken any of those” or any other “illegal drug,” Woods said “I had PRP (platelet rich plasma) treatment.”
None of the allegations against Galea have been proven in court and his lawyer, Brian Greenspan, has said his client is innocent.
Meanwhile Catalano’s Toronto lawyer, Calvin Barry, who also stresses her innocence, said his client’s charges of trying to smuggle into the U.S. “20 vials, 101 syringes and 76 ampoules, of unknown misbranded drugs, including Nutropin, a medical centrifuge and an ultrasound computer” had been put over for three months.
He said she is free on a $10,000 bond and is co-operating with U.S. authorities.
“She has already gone down twice and in the future it is quite likely I will accompany her to Buffalo for further questioning,” he said. “My client has co-operated fully and whatever information she has to help investigators she will be forthright.”
I was in the RCGA offices at Glen Abbey on Monday watching Woods’ impressive performance at Augusta, but, after thinking about it, it occurred to me that it’s this federal investigation, and not the infidelity, that will decide Woods’ future in golf.
Out at the Abbey, where the crew is putting the final touches on the very 18th hole where Woods made his historic bunker shot over the water to win the 2000 Canadian Open, there is hope that the off-course circus will soon be over and Tiger can get back to golf.
As a golf fan it would be nice. But first, fresh off reports that New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez had been summoned by investigators in the Galea case, Woods has one more area of intrigue to clear up.
He himself acknowledged this, telling reporters “they contacted my agent and will get full co-operation whenever they need me, but right now they haven’t asked for my time.”
And interesting that it’s a Toronto woman who may hold the key to determine if they ever do.
joe.warmington@sunmedia.ca
http://www.torontosun.com/news/columnists/joe_warmington/2010/04/05/13475196.html
Calvin Barry is a Toronto-based criminal lawyer with over 16 years experience as a senior crown attorney at Calvin Barry Professional Corporation - Criminal Lawyers. Calvin Barry Lawyer Toronto has practiced in the area of Criminal Law and Regulatory Offenses since October of 2004, accruing over 30 years experience in criminal law.
