Sports documentary ‘Untold: Hall of Shame’ on Netflix, directed by Bryan Storkel, examines the notorious Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO) scandal. The case, which involved some of the top US athletes at the time and had far-reaching repercussions, rocked the sports world in the early 2000s. Tim “Tim” Montgomery, a former racing star, is one of the most well-known individuals connected to the controversy. Don’t worry if you’re wondering where he is right now—we’ve got you covered!
Who is Tim Montgomery?
Tim Montgomery was born on January 28, 1975, in Gaffney, South Carolina. Prior to discovering track running, he was interested in basketball and football. He transferred from Blinn College to Norfolk State University to take advantage of their robust track programme. He quickly rose to prominence as a 100-meter sprinter, with dreams of representing the USA abroad.
Tim was able to compete as one of the runners for the four-person 100-meter relay team, earning his first Olympic medal despite not being able to compete in the 100-meter event at the 1996 Summer Olympics. He competed at the 1997 World Championships, winning a single bronze medal. Around this time, Tim developed a strong desire to break the record for the fastest fan alive, no matter the cost.
Tim’s greatest time for a 100-meter run was 9.92 seconds when he joined up with Victor Conte, the founder of BALCO, and he sought to beat that number as much as he could. Together, the two assembled the Project World Record team, which included of professionals like Charlie Francis, Milos “The Mind” Sarcev, and Trevor Graham. In the Netflix film, Victor also revealed that Tim was using medications such as human growth hormone (HGH), insulin, erythropoietin (EPO), and tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), also known as “The Clear.”
Tim’s performance improved as a result of the programme the team placed him on. However, Tim and Victor reportedly split up after a disagreement over branding and sponsorship at the final 100-meter Olympic trials in 2000. In September 2002, Tim succeeded in breaking the record, defeating Maurice Greene’s previous mark with a timing of 9.78 seconds.
However, Tim admitted in his testimony that he had used illegal chemicals that had been given to him by BALCO during the USADA investigation into the company. Tim disputed the USADA’s decision to suspend him for four months after they requested it as a result of his confession to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). CAS ultimately found Tim guilty on December 13, 2005, which resulted in a two-year suspension and the removal of all of his records set after March 31, 2001, including his world record, which had already been surpassed by Asafa Powell on June 14, 2005. Time chose to stop competing in sports when his ban was issued.
When Tim Montgomery’s involvement in the BALCO affair came to light, his legal issues only became worse. The retired athlete was accused of participating in a money laundering scam, which led to his indictment and imprisonment in April 2006. Tim was accused of depositing three fraudulent checks totaling $775,000 in the bank, for which he allegedly received $20,000, as part of a case involving a $5 million dollar sum. On April 9, 2007, he ultimately entered a guilty plea. On May 16, 2008, he received a prison term of 46 months.
Tim was also charged with another offence, this time for allegedly trafficking more than 100 grammes of heroin. The former athlete admitted to the allegations in July after the case was made public on May 1 of that year, and in October of that same year, he was given a five-month prison sentence. But as of this writing, Tim appears to be operating under the NUMA Speed LLC name and leading a life as a businessman and sports trainer. In addition, he is the happy father of at least three children, the second-eldest of whom, Tim Montgomery Jr., is training under his dad to become a track athlete. Tim and his loved ones have our warmest wishes for a happy life and a bright future.
