Wrestlers eyed in steroid case
Wrestlers eyed in steroid case, By: Luis F. Perez and Stacy Hicklin
Wide-ranging investigation extended to Jupiter Christian High program
March 17 2007
Caught in the maelstrom of a national steroid ring prosecution, a small Christian school in Jupiter now finds itself under state scrutiny.
On Friday, the Florida High School Athletic Association confirmed it planned a formal investigation into the wrestling program at Jupiter Christian High School.
The decision comes after the arrests in Albany, N.Y., of the medical director and co-owners of a Jupiter anti-aging clinic with connections to the son of the wrestling coach and a major athletic booster.
"We are investigating circumstances and information in the media regarding illegal substances that could be tied to a parent or adult that may or may not be tied to the athletic programs at Jupiter Christian," said Jack E. Watford, a FHSAA spokesman.
Scott Loud, director of Jupiter Christian athletic operations, said school officials would cooperate and answer questions posed by investigators.
"Those of us at the school want everything done right," he said. "Ultimately, we want to protect the kids."
The wrestling coach said he would cooperate as well.
"Let them investigate, that's fine with me," Robin Ruh, the wrestling coach, told The Jupiter Courier. "They are going to do what they do."
A team of New York and Florida law enforcement officials descended on the Palm Beach Rejuvenation office on Indiantown Road with a search warrant Feb. 27. They found steroids, syringes and needles on the desk of Chris Ruh, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement records. Chris Ruh, who has coached soccer at Jupiter High School and is Robin Ruh's son, has not been charged in the case.
They also found human growth hormone in the office of Joseph Raich, the company's vice president, FDLE records show.
Last year at least two members of the Jupiter Christian wrestling state championship team were Raich family members. Raich has hosted the Olympic wrestling team at his home, according to published reports, and the wrestling center at Cardinal Newman High School in West Palm Beach is named for his brother.
Raich has not been charged in the case. Prosecutors have charged some 20 people in three states in the case -- at least 10 of them connected to South Florida anti-aging and wellness clinics.
Ruh, the coach, said: "The school stands on what we've said before: Raich is Raich and Jupiter Christian is Jupiter Christian. We've said everything we've had to say."
Watford said the investigation may take days or months, but because there is no playoff eligibility at stake no significant deadline pressure exists.
Jupiter Christian is on spring break next week, which probably will delay the start of the investigation.
Watford said he thinks this is the first time in his 15 years at the FHSAA that the state has investigated a situation involving performance-enhancing drugs. He said he cannot remember Jupiter Christian being involved in any other investigations in recent years.
The FHSAA does not have a drug-testing program, but according to its handbook: "The use of an anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs by a student-athlete is not permissible and is considered to be an act of gross unsportsmanlike conduct. A student-athlete discovered to be using such substances will be ineligible to compete in any interscholastic contest until such time as medical evidence can be presented that the student's system is free of those substances."
