Tiger Woods wants significant penalties for steroids on PGA Tour

Tiger Woods commented on the PGA announced anti-doping policy in an interview with the LA Times.  Woods says penalties should be significant.

Tiger Woods called for "somewhat significant" penalties for professional golfers who test positive for banned substances when the PGA Tour begins an anti-doping plan next year.

Woods, who is in Montreal with the U.S. team to play in the Presidents Cup, said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem will be on hand to give the players further information about the testing procedures and the potential penalties involved.

"Given our reputation in our sport, how honorable our sport is and always has been and will continue to be, I think that the penalty's got to be somewhat significant," Woods said.

"I don't know how extensive. But I believe that it has to be somewhat significant because the sport has traditionally been about honor, and I think that someone who breaks that code of ethics in our sport should be penalized."

In other words, not  a 4 game NFL slap on the helmet.

Woods appears to be into the anti-doping thing.  He discusses the use of beta-blockers, and steroids, although it appears he is talking the anti-inflammatory steroids:
Woods said he isn't sure what precise violation should lead to a player being banned, or how the degree of the penalty would match up with a player using a specific performance-enhancing drug.

"How severe are we going to go on this is the question," he said. "I know some of the guys have taken a steroid pack. What I mean by that is you have an anti-inflammatory. It's like a five-day pack. . . . I don't know how far we're going to go on that.

"We all think that it has probably happened in the past. We know guys who have tried beta-blockers. Nick Price is the first one to admit it, that he did use it, because he had a heart problem. He needed to do it so he didn't have any more heart complications. He said it actually hurt his game. But, you know, as far as that, we really don't know."

Woods was an early proponent of an anti-doping policy in professional golf. He called for a drug testing program for the PGA Tour 13 months ago and volunteered to be first in line.

Woods discusses the use of anabolics candidly, and event he possibly of a PGA golfer using anabolic steroids:

He said much of the same in December at his Target World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, when he did not rule out the possibility that PGA Tour pros were using performance-enhancing drugs, including steroids.

Said Woods: "There's always a possibility. Unless you're tested, there's always going to be a shadow of a doubt on any sport."

Comments

[Ms. Scorpia]

I really love your blog,I'm such a big fan of sports and the drama that goes on behind the lens. Thanks so much for visiting and adding me as your friend. Is it ok if I put a link to your site on my blog and you do the same?

[Dylan]

Really great article. I respect Tiger Woods for everything he has done in the game of golf as well as his integrity. I could never see him using any type performing enhancing drug.