Athletics:Coach Trevor Graham is set to plead not guilty when he appears before magistrates in San Francisco after being charged with lying to federal agents.
Graham, who blew the whistle on the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) scandal which saw many leading stars banned for using the illegal designer steroid THG, faces three charges of making false statements.
Among those suspended after Graham anonymously revealed the existence of the drug were former 100 metres world record holder Tim Montgomery, who he used to coach, and former European champion Dwain Chambers.
Despite his role in bringing down the BALCO dynasty, he is charged with supplying performance-enhancing drugs to not only Montgomery, but also other world-class sprinters he coached at his Raleigh base in North Carolina.
Jamaican-born Graham's court appearance will be the first of what is expected to become a drawn-out case given his determination to prove he is innocent of the charges levelled against him.
His lawyer Joseph Zeszotarski said: "As Trevor has said all along, he has not been involved in any way in the distribution of illicit substances."
The prosecution will allege Graham has been providing his stable of athletes, which has included former Olympic champions Justin Gatlin and Marion Jones as well as Montgomery, with the performance-enhancing drugs for almost 10 years.
The government indictment alleges Graham lied when interviewed by federal agents during their investigations in June 2004.
If found guilty, Graham could be imprisoned for five years and receive a $250,000 fine.