Copyright Essentially Sports
Victor Conte – you may know him first as a boxer, but then, for all the wrong reasons. Once the founder of Blanco lab that was involved in the infamous doping scandals that rocked the track and field world in the 2000s, he changed his life around for good when he founded SNAC, a sports nutrition company advocating for clean training. Conte’s world shook again in June 2025 when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that ultimately led to his demise on November 3. Back in the early 2000s, Conte was the central piece in one of sports’ biggest doping scandals. The scandal involved MLB star Barry Bonds and the five-time Olympic medalist Marion Jones (who was stripped of her medals following her PED use confession), Tim Montgomery, and Shane Mosley. It was BALCO Lab, a company that Conte founded, that was caught distributing undetectable PEDs across baseball, boxing, and athletics. Later on in 2005, he pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and served four months behind bars. ‘Untold: Hall of Shame’, a 2023 Netflix documentary, immortalized Conte’s story. However, his story took a turn for the better when he founded SNAC, a sports nutrition company advocating clean training, in 2011. On top of that, Victor Conte became one of the loudest anti-doping voices in the sports realm. He didn’t just preach against the use of PEDs. He often stepped forward with valuable insights for dr-g testing loopholes. No wonder he became an integral part of a world desiring clean sports. ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad Following the 75-year-old’s passing, SNAC put out a statement, “We are heartbroken by the passing of out fearless leader, SNAC mastermind, CEO, anti-doping advocate, creator of ZMA, former Tower of Power and Herbie Hancock bassist, Victor Conte. We will honor his wishes. SNAC and his legacy will carry forward, strong and forever. We love you, Conte!” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad As the sports world reflects on Victor Conte’s complex legacy, what stands out most is his remarkable transformation. From being at the epicenter of one of the biggest doping scandals to becoming a fierce advocate for clean sport, Conte’s journey was one of redemption. He spent his later years proving that change, integrity, and second chances are possible. Late Victor Conte acknowledges his mistakes and takes pride in his work against doping Conte was never really free from the ghosts of his past. However, he took accountability for his actions. During an interview with Reuters in 2016, he admitted that he had harmed a lot of people in the past and had caused quite a bit of damage. In the later years of his life, he continuously helped people to not make the same mistakes that he did. He became a perfect example of what happens when one treads this slippery slope in sports. Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Later in 2023, Victor Conte appeared in an interview with ESPN. Therein, he stated, “I made that decision to go down the slippery slope. It was a mistake. I damaged a lot of people, especially my family, but the knowledge that I gained thereafter, and I was able to develop a relationship with [VADA founder] Dr. Margaret Goodman and [VADA vice president] Dr. Flip Homansky and then assist them in any way that I could in [developing testing protocol for] VADA.” ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
