(Image source: New York Daily News)

BY: JOSH FRYDMAN

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Tiger Woods. A-rod. Jose Reyes: Just some of the dozens of professional athletes whom reports have allegedly linked to Canadian doctor Anthony Galea.  Wednesday Galea pled guilty in federal court to smuggling unapproved drugs including human growth hormone or HGH into the U.S. for use by professional athletes.

A Buffalo federal grand jury indicted Galea in October on five counts, including smuggling drugs and lying to border agents about it. But WKBW reports, Galea entered a guilty plea to just one charge Wednesday.  

"In essence, the defendant today pleaded guilty to introducing misbranded and unapproved substances into interstate commerce,"

Prosecutors maintain some athletes received injections of HGH and Actovegin, a derivative of calf's blood.

CNN Senior Medical Corespondent Elizabeth Cohen says although both drugs are banned in major professional sports, the athletes listed in the Galea case wouldn't be in trouble for using them, just not telling the truth about it.

"It's interesting. The prosecutor told CNN that the -- that any athletes who have received these treatments, that they didn't do anything illegal as long as they didn't lie to law enforcement. So, that's what we were told."

The reduced guilty plea allows Galea to receive less jail time in exchange for agreeing to share information in an ongoing federal investigation.  A columnist for NBC Sports wonders what exactly the feds will be looking for with Galea’s cooperation.

“While some would presumably enjoy seeing more athletes with their butts in slings over PED (performance enhancing drugs) stuff, it would be pretty unorthodox for the feds to go after drug users in any serious way while going relatively easy on the dealer.”

Sports Illustrated sports law writer Michael McCann says Galea's plea deal could have wide-reaching effects on many athletes.

"Even if Galea does not share information that would lead to athletes facing perjury charges, he could still expose them to investigation and discipline by their respective leagues (should damaging information become leaked).” 

Federal prosecutors accused Galea of administering the drugs to 20 pro athletes at their homes and at hotels from October 2007 to September 2009.  However, the doctor insists he only helped athletes recover from injury and did not try to help them cheat.

Galea faces up to three years in prison, but will likely face a sentence of about half that because of his plea agreement.

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