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Anthony Galea (born August 19, 1959) is a Canadian sports medicine specialist and director of the ISM Health & Wellness Center Inc. in Toronto, Ontario. ^[1] Recognized as one of the world’s top authorities in sports medicine and exercise physiology^[2], Galea is best known for treating some of the world’s top athletes, such as Tiger Woods, Mark McCoy and Dara Torres.

Galea was born in Toronto at St. Josephs Health Center and grew up in Etobicoke. Attending high school at Michael Power High School, Galea was very athletic as a young adult and loved to play both soccer and tennis.^[1] He was also the founding member of the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame.^[1]

Galea earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Waterloo in Health Studies and then earned his medical degree at McMaster University in Hamilton in 1986.^[1]

Galea practices sports medicine out of the ISM Health & Wellness Center, which he serves as its director and founder.^[1] He is a frequent lecturer on topics such as the effects of steroids, injury rehabilitation, and drug use in athletic competition.^[1] He has been published in medical journals and is the author of the book, Dr. Galea's Secrets to Optimal Health - Body and Spirit, which was published in 2007.^[1]

Galea has served as a sports medicine physician for a number of professional teams during his career. In 2003, Galea became the team physician for the Toronto Argonauts, serving as physician for the team until 2009.^[1] Galea also acted as team physician for the St. Vincent Grenadine World Cup Soccer team in 2004.^[1]

Galea has functioned as a sports physician for many professional competitions. In 1999, he served as a physician for the World Track and Field Championships in Seville, Spain, as well as Chief Medical Officer for Team Canada in the Maccabi Games in 2005 and 2009.^[1] From 1990 through 1995, Galea was responsible for the care and supervision of all participants in the Toronto Marathon.^[1]

Galea’s commitment to Canadian tennis is notable, having functioned as a sports medicine physician for the du Maurier’s Men’s Open Tennis Championships in 1996 and the du Maurier’s Women’s Open Tennis Championships in 1995 and 1997, as well as for the Players International Tennis Championships in Toronto from 1991 through 1994.^[1]

From 1992 to 1997, Galea served as a team physician for the Canadian Freestyle Ski team.^[1]

Galea’s participation in assisting Olympic competitions as a team physician has been distinguished. In 2000, he was the team physician for the Canadian 100 Meters sprint team at the summer Olympics in Sydney.^[1] He also served as a team physician for Team Canada in the Olympic Winter Games in Japan in 1998.^[1]

Beyond Galea’s service as a sports medicine physician, the doctor has also functioned as a doping control officer a number of times in his career. From 1990 to 1992, the doctor served as Chief Doping Control officer for the Hamilton Spectator Games in Canada.^[1] From 1990 to 1993, Galea conducted no-notice drug tests on behalf of the Canadian Center for Drug Free Sport at the National Training Camps for Canoeing and Track and Field in Florida.^[1] In 1992 and 1993, Galea was flown unannounced into Cuba to conduct drug testing on Cuban athletes on behalf of the I.A.A.F.^[1]

Galea was one of the first sports medicine physicians to use PRP therapy as a way to treat his patients’ injuries. PRP therapy is the process of treating an injury with a concentration of the patient’s own blood. Initially, the treatment was used for rehabilitation purposes by spinal surgeons and surgeons performing plastic surgery.^[3] However, beginning with early pioneers, like Galea, PRP therapy has become increasingly accepted and increasingly used by sports medicine physicians.^[4]

Galea is well-known in the athletic community and sought out by many professional athletes for his innate ability to heal. According to a Sports Illustrated article, Dr. Galea is “… not one to market himself … but people find him.”^[5] Galea's confirmed clients include golfer Tiger Woods, Olympic medalists Dara Torres, Mark McCoy and Donovan Bailey,^[6] NFL players Javon Walker, Santana Moss and Chris Simms,^[6] and figure skater Patrick Chan.^[7] Major League Baseball players Huston Street and John Patterson have also received treatment from Galea.^[8]

According to The New York Times, Galea visited Tiger Woods at his Orlando home at least four times in February and March 2009 to administer PRP—designed to speed recovery from injuries--,^[9] and that Woods responded well to the treatment.^[6]

On February 28, 2010, The New York Times reported that Galea treated New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez in March 2009 and that Rodriguez's rehabilitation from hip surgery was overseen by Dr. Mark Lindsay, an associate of Galea's.^[10]

Galea was found carrying a stimulant that is banned by the Olympics when he arrived in Sydney during the 2000 Summer Olympics. He was never charged and was allowed to enter the country, but Australian customs seized his medical bag.^[11]

In September, 2009 Galea's assistant was caught by U.S border agents with a duffel bag full of medical supplies and drugs as she attempted to cross the border near Buffalo.

On December 15, 2009, The New York Times and the Associated Press reported that Galea was the subject of a joint investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Buffalo Field Office for allegedly providing elite athletes with performance enhancing drugs,^[6] as well as criminal conspiracy.^[12] The drugs were Actovegin (legal in Canada, but not the US) and human growth hormone.^[6] Galea was arrested in Toronto on October 15, 2009 but never faced charges.^[12]

In the United States, Galea was charged with drug smuggling, conspiring to lie to federal agents, unlawful possession with intent to distribute and practising medicine without a licence. On July 6, 2011, Galea pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of bringing mislabelled drugs into the United States for the purpose of treating professional athletes.^[13] As part of the plea agreement, he is required to cooperate with investigators and disclose the identities of his clients and their treatments.^[13]

On December 16, 2011 Galea was sentenced to one year unsupervised release, and no accompanying jail time (above time already served, one day). He is not allowed to enter the United States without expressed permission from the US Department of Homeland Security.^[14]

At the sentencing hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Campana made it clear, when questioned by Judge Arcara, that it was not the position of the authorities that Dr. Galea was helping athletes enhance performance. "Incessantly, reporters, with the help of headline editors, tried to spin the case as one of 'doping' or performance enhancement with absolutely no basis whatsoever," Mr. Mahoney, Galea's lawyer said outside the courtroom. “That became the tireless drumbeat of the media, for whatever gratification that caused, but it was painful for Dr. Galea and inaccurate.”

Judge Arcara indicated he was moved by more than 120 letters of support from peers and patients, some of whom described being treated by Galea at no charge and others who credited him with healing injuries that other doctors could not, highlighted his commitment to healing, charity and spiritual development.

After a 15-minute recess, Judge Arcara announced that Dr. Galea had suffered enough. It came down to a simple equation, the judge explained: “Incarceration would not outweigh the benefit of what he has to offer his patients.”

Arcara compared him to the fictional "Marcus Welby," the kindly and unorthodox doctor from the 1970s television show.

Galea has been married twice and is the father of seven. Some of his hobbies are cycling, tennis, golf, snowboarding and skiing. Galea also enjoys learning about Biblical Archaeology.

In 2001, Galea experienced what would be considered as a spiritual awakening. As described in a Sports Illustrated article on the doctor, “… after three sleepless nights in his Toronto condo, Galea felt a sudden urge to travel to Jerusalem”.^[5] He followed this calling and “… a week later, sitting by himself in a small chapel on the Mount of Olives, Galea says he reconnected with God”.^[5]

Ever since Galea’s spiritual awakening, he has been a fierce Zionist and frequently travels back to Israel.^[15] While there, the doctor oftentimes volunteers his time and knowledge to charitable causes. Galea has volunteered and fundraised for the Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv, the largest rehab hospital in the Middle East and a hospital that treats wounded Israeli soldiers.^[15]