Roger Clemens speaks out in TV interview

NEW YORK McNamee said in the Mitchell report on doping in baseball that he personally injected Clemens with steroids in 1998 while with the Toronto Blue Jays, and with steroids and human growth hormone in 2000 and 2001 while with the New York Yankees. Clemens issued a video statement on Dec. 23 denying the accusations and plans to hold a news conference Monday, a day after the CBS interview is to be broadcast. During the interview, recorded last Friday at Clemens' home in Katy, Texas, Clemens was asked whether McNamee had injected him with any drugs. "Lidocaine and B-12," Clemens responded. "It's for my joints, and B-12 I still take today." Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that can be used by dentists and in minor surgery. It also is available as part of ointments used to treat skin inflammation. Clemens told CBS that McNamee's accusation was "ridiculous" and said he "never" used banned substances. "Swear?" CBS's Mike Wallace asked Clemens. "Swear," Clemens responded. Baseball players and owners did not have an agreement to ban steroids until September 2002, and they didn't ban HGH until January 2005.