Pound adds weight to drug fears

Published on Monday 23 July 2007 00:05

DICK Pound, head of the World Anti-Doping Agency, is urging golf to introduce drug-testing as soon as possible amid fears top players could be using banned substances.

Mirroring the comments of the legendary Gary Player last week, Pound claims to have been told of drug abuse on the major tours.

The European Tour intends to introduce a drug-testing policy and are having talks with the PGA Tour in America and other circuits about making the policy worldwide. The LPGA Tour has already announced that testing will start next season.

Asked if he believed players were taking drugs, he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek: "That is certainly my suspicion, and Gary Player says he knows, so that's fairly powerful medicine from somebody who has only the integrity of the game at heart."

Questioned further on whether well-known names could be involved, he replied: "Yes, players currently playing on the tour. I don't know how widespread it is because there is no testing."

Player's comments, which came as final preparations for the Open at Carnoustie were being made, sparked a major debate within the game, but one which Pound believes is vital.

He said: "It comes from one of the icons of golf who has no particular axe to grind out there now, other than to try to maintain the integrity of the sport. It's a wake-up call that has not come in such stark terms to date from the golf community."

Asked what he personally had been told to arouse his suspicions, Pound replied: "Some say they know, others say they strongly suspect, but it's really not the point.

"The point is that golf is a game that has always prided itself on honesty, and this is a way of demonstrating that what you say is true is true if it's true."

WADA is offering to help the game establish a testing programme, but while the European Tour are in the process of doing just that, Pound claimed the response from the US PGA has been less positive. He said: "We have been working with the Royal and Ancient to help them develop a testing programme, and we have approached the PGA, which has resisted any acknowledgement that there may be a problem.

"We are more than ready because we have far more experience in drug-testing programmes and protocols. We would be happy to sit down and help golf come together with a significant and robust programme.

"I have said [to the US PGA], 'Look, this is your opportunity to lead, not to be forced to follow, so get on with it. The time is now. You should do this while you still have the initiative, rather than being forced into it as the result of a scandal. Then you are going to have the whole of golf regarded with suspicion. Do it now before there's a big public problem'."

Pound is convinced the establishment of a strict testing regime will quickly rid the game of any problem. "I hope what it will do is deter those who might be considering it and scare away those that may have already started it, and that the problem will disappear.

"That's one of the purposes of having such a programme. If it's known there is going to be drug-testing, they will stop doing it and by the time the programmes are in place, perhaps all this stuff will have cleared from their systems and they won't do it anymore."

However, Butch Harmon, the former coach of Tiger Woods, called on both Player and Pound to name names. He told the same programme: "Even though I have no reason to believe anyone is taking them, I think drug-testing would be a good thing. It would put these rumours to rest.

"If this gentleman you have interviewed has had this many conversations with this many players, it would be nice if he would name some names so we could get some legitimacy in what he says.

Gary Player, I would hope, would name some names if he has a certain person in mind."

The Royal and Ancient Club declined to respond to Pound's comments.