Vitti Defends Treatment of Magic’s Cut

Laker trainer Gary Vitti said Wednesday he would welcome an OSHA investigation of his treatment of Magic Johnson and expects to be exonerated.

Vitti did not use gloves to treat a scratch to Johnson’s forearm, in what turned out to be Johnson’s last appearance, at Chapel Hill, N.C., on Oct. 30.

Vitti says a Rhode Island doctor filed a protest to the Federal office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which may refer it to the California office.

Vitti was previously questioned by NBA officials, who told him to use gloves in the future but took no action.

“The OSHA rules, revised for the NBA, have a clause that leaves it to the discretion of the trainer,” Vitti said. “It was a non-bloody wound in a controlled situation.

“Here’s how small a wound it a was. I was sitting on the bench and Sean Higgins said to me, ‘I just saw Magic get hit and I think he’s cut.’ So a few moments later, when play was stopped, I told (referee) Eddie Rush. He sprinted over and examined him. Magic examined himself. Neither of them saw it, that’s how small it was.

“The first dead ball, I got nosy and I had him show me his arms. There was a little fingernail cut, but hey, the guy’s HIV-positive. I got a six-inch swab and swabbed the area. Then I gave him a four-by-four bandage and had him put it on. I thought about using gloves, but I thought it was sending our players a mixed message. We’re telling them it’s safe to play with him and then when he gets a fingernail cut, I’m using gloves.

“I’m not a rebel. I comply with all regulations. If you look at our medical control program, it’s the strictest of any team in the league and I wrote it.

“Would I use gloves in the future? Yeah, because I don’t want to go through this again.”