Clemens 'ready' to testify about steroids

Washington -- Pitching great Roger Clemens, accustomed to facing down opposing batters, prepared to face allegations in Washington about use of performance-enhancing drugs.

"He's ready," said Rusty Hardin, one of Clemens' attorneys.

Also expected to attend the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing is Brian McNamee, Clemens' former trainer who fingered the pitcher as a steroid user in congressional testimony and in the report by former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell on performance-enhancing substance use in baseball, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

"Roger is going to tell the truth," Hardin told the Post. "Congress absolutely has the right to make a referral to the Justice Department if they feel that's the right thing to do. I hope and trust they won't choose to do that."

Clemens is expected to field questions about his claims that McNamee injected him with vitamins, not steroids, and testimony from medical experts that there are few reasons to inject the substances Clemens claimed he took by syringe, the Post said.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.