Clemens' ex-trainer sues in steroids tiff

NEW YORK, Dec. 23 (UPI) -- Roger Clemens' former trainer claims in a $10 million lawsuit that the ex-baseball star defamed him over allegations of steroid use.

Brian McNamee is suing over comments Clemens allegedly made after the Mitchell Report on alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs in professional baseball was released, although no specific comments were singled out.

The pair engaged in a public war of words over McNamee's allegations in the report that Clemens had been using steroids. Clemens sued McNamee for defamation last January.

The New York Post said Tuesday the suit was launched in the form of a summons filed in Queens Supreme Court in New York calling on Clemens to pay for emotional distress he allegedly caused McNamee.

The summons was filed before the approaching end of the statute of limitations period, which is based on the release of the Mitchell Report last December.

"We filed a summons and complaint to preserve our rights within one year," attorney Richard Emery told the New York Daily News. "We don't lay forth any specific claims."