Roger Clemens, arguably the best baseball pitcher of his generation, appeared before Congress on Wednesday to deny he used steroids during his fabled career, according to dpa. "I have been accused of something I am not guilty of," Clemens said. Clemens testified under oath before Congress while sitting near his chief accuser, his former trainer Brian McNamee, who told baseball investigators he injected Clemens with steroids and human growth hormone. "Let me be clear, I have never taken steroids or HGH," Clemens said. Clemens' was the biggest name identified as a steroid user in Major League Baseball's independently commissioned report carried out by former Senator George Mitchell and released December 13. Clemens has strongly denied that he used steroids and has filed a lawsuit against McNamee, who has reportedly provided the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform with syringes and other physical evidence his lawyers say prove Clemens' guilt. "I am not proud of what I have done and I am not proud of testifying against the man I once admired," McNamee said. Clemens has said that McNamee only injected him with vitamin B and a pain killer called lidocaine. So far both men have refused to back off their positions. If the committee suspects either man is lying they can ask the Justice Department to launch a criminal perjury investigation. The Democratic chairman of the committee, Henry Waxman, said both men have made contradictory statements in the past on steroid use, and pointed to a sworn deposition by Clemens' former New York Yankee teammate, Andy Pettitte, who told congressional investigators earlier this month that he had conversations with Clemens about steroids. Clemens' "statements are contradicted by other credible witnesses or are simply implausible," Waxman said in opening the hearing on Capitol Hill. McNamee became a focus of federal investigators who required him to truthfully cooperate with the Mitchell investigation. "If I do lie, I will be prosecuted," McNamee said. Pettitte was also identified by McNamee in the Mitchell report, and has since publicly admitted he used human growth hormone to help recover from an injury. Clemens' and Pettitte have been regarded as close friends, and shared championships as teammates on the New York Yankees in 1999 and 2000. Pettitte, 35, re-signed with the Yankees in the off-season and is expected to play for the team when the season begins in April. Clemens, 45, has yet to sign with a team after finishing last season with the Yankees. Clemens began his storied career with the Boston Red Sox in 1984 and had stints with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros and was recognized as the best pitcher in the American League with seven Cy Young Awards.
