Pitcher Roger Clemens emphatically denied allegations by his former trainer that he took performance-enhancing drugs, calling them "a dangerous and destructive shortcut that no athlete should ever take."

Clemens, 45, issued a statement Tuesday through his agent, Randy Hendricks, in which he refuted claims in the Mitchell report that he received steroid injections and human growth hormone in 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Roger Clemens issued a statement Tuesday denying he used steroids.
(Bill Kostroun/Associated Press)

Baseball banned steroids in September 2002 and HGH in January 2005.

"I want to state clearly and without qualification: I did not take steroids, human growth hormone or any other banned substances at any time in my baseball career or, in fact, my entire life," Clemens said.

Clemens was one of 85 players implicated in last Thursday's report by former U.S. Senate Majority leader George Mitchell, who presided over a 20-month investigation into drug use in baseball.

"I'm disappointed that my 25 years in public life have apparently not earned me the benefit of the doubt," Clemens said. "But I understand that Senator Mitchell's report has raised many serious questions.

"I plan to publicly answer all of those questions at the appropriate time in the appropriate way. I only ask that, in the meantime, people not rush to judgment."

Clemens, winner of seven Cy Young Awards as top pitcher, was alleged to have taken steroids and HGH in the presence of former Toronto Blue Jays strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee:

"Later that summer [1998]," the report alleges, "Clemens asked McNamee to inject him with Winstrol, which Clemens supplied. McNamee knew the substance was Winstrol because the vials Clemens gave him were so labelled. McNamee injected Clemens approximately four times in the buttocks over a several-week period with needles that Clemens provided. Each incident took place in Clemens's apartment at the SkyDome. McNamee never asked Clemens where he obtained the steroids."

McNamee also told investigators that Clemens used steroids and HGH in 2000 and 2001, when he played for the New York Yankees.

"He stands 100 per cent behind the accuracy of the information he provided to Sen. Mitchell," said Ed Ward, McNamee's lawyer.

Pitcher Andy Pettitte, a longtime teammate of Clemens and another McNamee client, admitted using HGH twice to recover from an injury in 2002.

Pettitte, 35, re-signed Dec. 12 with the Yankees for $16 million US.

Lured out of retirement

Clemens retired four years ago, only to be lured back to pitch three partial seasons for the Houston Astros and a fourth with the Yankees, who signed him May 6 for more than $28 million US.

He was paid a prorated share of roughly $18.2 million US this season, when he posted a 6-6 record and 4.18 earned-run average in 18 appearances for New York. 
 
Clemens is 354-184 lifetime with a 3.11 earned-run average, 118 complete games and 46 shutouts in 709 appearances over 24 MLB seasons for the Boston Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros.

The veteran right-hander ranks second behind Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan in career strikeouts with 4,672 over 4,916 2/3 innings.

Ryan struck out 5,714 batters in 5,386 innings pitched.

With files from the Associated Press