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Sports doctor investigated

The RCMP says no charges have been laid against Dr. Anthony Galea, a Canadian sports medicine doctor who has treated Donovan Bailey, NFL players and other athletic stars.

TORONTO — The RCMP says no charges have been laid against Dr. Anthony Galea, a Canadian sports medicine doctor who has treated Donovan Bailey, NFL players and other athletic stars.

RCMP spokesman Sgt. Marc LaPorte says police arrested Galea after a search warrant was executed on the Institute of Sports Medicine Health and Wellness Centre on Brown’s Line near Toronto on Oct. 15.

A court date is set for Friday in Toronto, and LaPorte says an ongoing investigation may or may not lead to charges before that date.

The RCMP obtained a search warrant after an incident at the Canadian-U.S. border last September.

According to the New York Times, the FBI is investigating allegations the Human Growth Hormone and another drug, Actovegin — which is illegal in the U.S. — were found in Galea’s medical bag.

The Times quotes Galea as saying he has prescribed HGH for some patients and even for himself, but never for professional athletes.

RCMP spokesman Marc LaPorte says the Canadian investigation is separate and distinct from the American one.

“Our investigation focuses on criminal offences that are possibly taking place in Canada,” LaPorte said in a telephone interview.

Galea did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

A spokeswoman for Galea’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, says Galea will not appear in court on Friday.

Greenspan was to make further comment at news conference in Toronto on Tuesday afternoon.

Golfer Tiger Woods is denying he was referred to Galea for treatment through the golfer’s agents at the International Management Group after concern over Woods’ recovery from knee surgery in 2008.

In an e-mail sent to the Associated Press on Tuesday, agent Mark Steinberg said: “no one at IMG has ever met or recommended Dr. Galea, nor were we worried about Tiger’s recovery.”