Mary J Blige Denies Steroid Allegations

Mary J Blige

It's not often music reporting centres on the taking of performance enhancing drugs of the steroid kind, but a number of musicians are facing allegations of using possibly illegal steroids this weekend following a report in a US newspaper.

The Times Union of Albany made various allegations regarding the taking (or, at least, acquiring) of steroids in the music world. The report stemmed from an investigation by Albany District Attorney P David Soares into the sale and distribution of illegal steroids in the US. Although the investigation is primarily concerned with those who supply the drugs, sources told The Times Union that among the famous names alleged to have bought them were Mary J Blige, 50 Cent, Timbaland and Wyclef Jean.

It's not clear if those artists would be guilty of any crimes if they had, indeed, taken the steroids, and Soares' department has not commented on the newspaper report. Few of those named in it have commented either, though a spokesman for Blige denied the allegations yesterday.

The paper alleged Blige had ordered the human growth hormone Jentropin and Oxandrolone, an anabolic steroid, and that they were delivered to her at the Beverly Hills Hotel. But her spokeswoman, Karynne Tencer, told reporters: "Mary J Blige has never taken any performance enhancing illegal steroids, or any anti-aging steroids".

Steroids are, of course, a much bigger issue in the sports industry, and in the US the most recent scandal centred on the baseball sector, after former Senator George Mitchell released a report about the supply of performance-enhancing drugs at the New York Mets.