New York Times Report Ties Charlie Sly To Personal Trainer For Top Athletes Named In Al Jazeera Report

Jason Riley (center) with two of his pro athlete clients, Mike Neal (left) and Ryan Howard (right)

The New York Times' Michael Powell has a very intriguing report, "Following the names in the Al Jazeera doping report," in which he uncovered the fact that the man at the center of the original doping allegations, Charlie Sly, is a business partner with a Florida personal fitness trainer who counts several of the athletes Sly named in the Al Jazeera report as users of performance enhancement drugs before later recanting almost all of his claims. Not only did Sly co-found Elementz Nutrition, LLC with Jason Riley according to Powell, he listed Riley's home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida when he applied for his Florida pharmacist intern license with the state of Florida's Department of Health on July 31, 2012, a license that is still current.

CHARLES DAVID SLY
License Number: PSI29533
Data As Of 1/4/2016
Profession: Pharmacist Intern
License: PSI29533
License Status CLEAR/
License Expiration Date License Original Issue Date: 07/31/2012
Address of Record: 14406 SUNDIAL PLACE LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL 34202
Discipline on File: No
Public Complaint: No

"Riley's work as a trainer is so celebrated that he carries a reputation as "baseball's MVP of the post-steroids era," Powell writes. According to Powell, Riley is credited with turning around the career of one of his clients, Derek Jeter, although Powell is quick to note there is no evidence linking Jeter to the use of performance enhancement drugs in the Al Jazeera report. Among the athletes Sly named in the Al Jazeera documentary that were using HGH included baseball players Ryan Howard and Ryan Zimmerman and football players Mike Neal and Dustin Keller, all of whom are clients of Riley. Sly also alleged in the Al Jazeera report that the Indianapolis-based anti-aging clinic, The Guyer Institute, where he previously worked as a pharmacy intern and which treated Peyton and Ashley Manning, regularly shipped HGH to Ashley Manning at an address in Florida and other places. Powell's story does not claim Manning is one of Riley's clients.

So could Sly's connection to Riley and the fact that he mentions several of them in the Al Jazeera report as users of HGH all just be a coincidence? Powell, after taking it all in, wondered what to make of Sly and his recantation.

But what to make of Sly. In the end, the story hinges on his credibility. A man who operates in the athletic shadows, he was confronted with his hours of undercover interviews, and recanted. He proclaimed himself an idle boaster.

What was he supposed to do, if what he had said was true? Acknowledge it and allow his words to become his manacles?

One correction should be made in Powell's story. "Last week, Elementz Nutrition voluntarily dissolved and closed its doors," Powell claims in his story. Actually, Riley voluntarily dissolved Elementz RX, LLC, not Elementz Nutrition, LLC, both of which list Riley's home as the business address. The incorporation documents filed with the state of Florida for Elementz RX described it as: " [A] supplement company wanting to develop pharmaceutical grade supplements to health care practitioners and athletes. Our sole purpose is to provide the cleanest products that can assist people in their health quest." Elementz Nutrition still has an active website here. It also maintains a Facebook site here.