THE PGA TOUR has announced a substantial change to its anti-doping procedures that will see it introduce blood testing for the first time.
While the majority of substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list can be picked up by urine testing, some, most notably Human Growth Hormone, can only be detected using blood samples.
While golfers who competed at the Olympics would have undergone blood testing, it will now become a weekly occurrence.
It is one of three major chances announced this week.
The PGA Tour’s banned list will also now include all products on the WADA prohibited list. Up until now the lists had been slightly different.
The final significant change will see the Tour change the way violations of the anti-doping programme are reported.
While current violations are not reported to the public, from next season the Tour will issue a statement containing the name of the player, the fact that a violation for either a performance enhancing substance or a drug of abuse has occurred and the length of the suspension.
We believe that these changes to our program are prudent in that they further our objectives of protecting the well-being of our members and better substantiate the integrity of golf as a clean sport,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan
