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Doping chief wants testing in golf

22/07/2007

World anti-doping chief Dick Pound says a testing policy must be introduced into golf before there becomes a widespread problem with performance-enhancing drugs in the sport.

His comments come after South African legend Gary player said that he knew there were golfers on the professional tour trying to gain an advantage.

Before the start of the British Open at Carnoustie Player said: "I know for a fact that some golfers are doing it."

Pound spoke to BBC Five Live about the situation and said the sport would be well advised to introduce an anti-doping policy before a scandal occurred.

He explained that Player had no axe to grind and that his comments must therefore be taken very seriously.

Pound said: "I don't know how widespread it is as there is no testing at the moment, but key players and officials are telling me we need a policy in place before we have a major public problem.

"I've said: 'look, you should do this while you still have the initiative, rather being forced into it as a result of a scandal and have the whole of golf regarded with suspicion. Do it now before there is a big public problem'."

Pound said the World Anti-Doping Agency would welcome working along side the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) to get a policy which is code compliant.

He added: "What testing will do is to deter those who might consider using drugs and scare away those who may have already started, then the problem may disappear."

Pound said golf was a game that had always prided itself on its honesty and that a test policy was a way of ensuring that remained.

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