You won’t find this Rules violation
in the Rules of Golf or Decisions book, but this week is laced with controversy
over Vijay Singh’s admitted use of Deer Antler Spray. Let’s cover a few things: 1)What the heck is
deer antler spray and why is it an issue; 2) What is the controversy
surrounding Vijay; and 3) general
commentary on doping and the banned substance policy on Tour.
Deer Antler Spray: I don’t have
antlers, I’m not a deer, what’s the big deal?
Deer-antler spray, despite its
title, is a health supplement spray originating from the company S.W.A.T.S, or
Sports with Alternatives to Steroids. It
actually goes by the name “The Ultimate Spay.”
With a company name that dubious, I wonder why players were drawn to it
in the first place. The spray contains a
chemical IGF-1 which is on the PGA Tour’s list of banned substances but is not
tested for. The chemical is a known
growth factor that helps facilitate recovery and bone cell growth. It is universally banned in all sports.
Why is Vijay a deer?
In a Sports Illustrated article
highlighting the S.W.A.T.S company and its products, Vijay admitted to using
the spray multiple times a day and all over his body. He was anticipating a body change as a result
of using the spray and admits he’s been trying holograph chips and all kinds of
methods to help his aging body. He has
come out saying that he used the spray but did not realize it was or contained
a banned substance. Ok. Actually, he said he was “shocked” to learn
the spray contained a banned substance.
Let me get this straight, he was “shocked” that a spray from a company
called Sports with Alternatives to Steroids, contained a banned substance. Ok.
This week he withdrew from the Waste Management Phoenix Open citing a “sore
back.” Presumably, he’s stopped using
the spray.
PGA Tour and Anti-Doping
The controversy surrounding doping
in sports has been going on for a long, long time. It was only in 2006 that it became a hot
topic for the PGA Tour, and it wasn’t until 2008 that a set policy and actual
testing began. Steroid use was never
considered much of a factor for golf professionals because sheer strength and
body building alone really didn’t help the professional golfer. Muscle mass or the lack of mental control
that results from steroid use would actually be a detriment to a pro’s golf
game. With recent advances in this area,
human growth hormones in particular, specific kinds of steroids and supplements
that fall under the banned substance category really could be beneficial to
golfers, especially for healing. Golfers
could overcome pulled muscles, surgeries, bad backs and other aches much more
quickly with human growth hormones or similar type substances. These could really fall under the category of
PED (Performance Enhancing Drug). But
there is also no sure-fire test for those, just as these is no test for the
IGF-1 chemical in the deer-antler spray.
It was 2011 that the PGA Tour put
players on notice that the deer-antler spray marketed by S.W.A.T.S known as “The
Ultimate Spray” contained a banned substance and should be avoided. The Tour realized the problem when Mark
Calcavecchia and Ken Green were endorsing the product. Yet, the SI article with Vijay’s admitted
usage came out a couple days ago. I’m
sorry Vijay, but in this case, ignorance should not be bliss. I don’t know what the Tour’s penalty for
violation of the banned substance policy is, but you’re guilty. Be angry with yourself all you want, the Tour
put players on notice about this two years ago.
Good luck on the Champions Tour.
No comments:
Post a Comment