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Vijay Singh to sue PGA tour

Liquid Karma said:
The PGA Tour policy is not just about PED's. The reason substances like marijuana are banned is for image reasons. The PGA Tour is a brand and they are extremely image conscious, and they want to manage that brand.

DCDeac summed up the blood pressure issue quite well, however it's not always as simple as getting a medical use exemption for quality of life type drugs. The Tour still dropped the hammer on Doug Barron (needed to show they were serious about the new drug policy) a few years ago for taking a testosterone supplement that was medically prescribed. Obviously getting testosterone treatments is different than taking HCTZ (yes, this is on the banned substance list...most diuretics are) or Beta Blockers for your blood pressure.

The USGA decided to start following the anti-doping policy for amateur events this year as well. Should be entertaining to see how many players in the field at the US mid Am have to get medical use exemptions for their blood pressure meds. I actually take two substances that violate the policy and already got a letter from my doctor since I plan to play a couple qualifiers this year. There are going to be players that qualify, get tested at the main event, and don't have their exemption letter yet. In those cases the USGA is going to DQ them from the event and call the next alternate on the list. There simply won't be enough time to get the letter and prove your innocence.
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Thought it was just the Amateur, and only after you made sectionals? Not counting the Open obviously...
 
cville deac said:
I guess the thing is that when you're a young athlete, and you're playing football, basketball... you're extremely unlikely to have high blood pressure, and you're gonna retire before you get high blood pressure. But in golf, folks play into their 40s and 50s. Hell, half the senior tour probably has high blood pressure. I developed high blood pressure in my mid-40s. If I were a pro golfer (and I'm far from it), I'd certainly want to be able to continue to take medication to keep my blood pressure down. Aside from that, it just seems odd to me that they do check for quality of life things and don't test for HGH, and if HGH helps you hit a baseball farther, I would think the same would apply to golf.
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I mean, the NBA doesn't test for HGH, but the PGA Tour is supposed to?

Here's how the blood pressure thing works. You send a letter to the PGA, they talk to your doctor, you get an exception. It's really not that tough.
 
vtwhat etc said:
singhtigerwho_600.jpg
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That is Webb's caddie now
 
DCDeac said:
Thought it was just the Amateur, and only after you made sectionals? Not counting the Open obviously...
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You're right, it is just for the amateur. And the testing will only occur at the actual championship itself, which is why I said there could be issues where people fail a test and don't have time to turn around and get the required use exemption from their doctor.

I expect it to be expanded in the near future.
 
Tour drug testing policy is a joke, especially since they dont make anything public. Rumor has it there is a former up and comer/Ryder Cup player currently serving a one year suspension for cocaine that is being classified as an "injury"
 
Tin Cup said:
Tour drug testing policy is a joke, especially since they dont make anything public. Rumor has it there is a former up and comer/Ryder Cup player currently serving a one year suspension for cocaine that is being classified as an "injury"
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Who, AK? If so, that might help explain why his game went downhill fast.
 
Liquid Karma said:
You're right, it is just for the amateur. And the testing will only occur at the actual championship itself, which is why I said there could be issues where people fail a test and don't have time to turn around and get the required use exemption from their doctor.

I expect it to be expanded in the near future.
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I mean, if you make it into the field at the US Amateur and you don't read the form they give you that clearly states medications need to be declared to the USGA prior to the tournament - then you deserve a DQ.

State Opens and other national tournaments have been doing this for years.
 
Liquid Karma said:
This is hilarious. The PGA Tour went out of their way to find a loophole so they wouldn't have to suspend Vijay for admitting he violated the doping policy. By doing so, the PGA Tour opened themselves up for a lawsuit from Vijay.
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Karma, why don't they test? All other sports test, why not golf? Are they above the law because they self report their own rules violations.
 
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