McIlroy backs PGA Tour drug testing reforms

Last July, the 28-year-old Briton expressed concern over the lack of regular drug testing in golf compared with other Olympic sports and advocated the introduction of blood testing.

McIlroy backs PGA Tour drug testing reforms

(Reuters)





The PGA tour said on Tuesday that urine tests would still make up a bulk of examinations but blood screening would be introduced to detect human growth hormone.

Policies regarding player suspensions for illegal drugs use will also be made more transparent.

"If we're not blood testing we're not doing all we can to make sure that golf is a clean sport, so I obviously welcome the news," McIlroy was quoted as saying by the Daily Telegraph ahead of Thursday's first round of the Travelers Championship.

"If golf wants to be a sport in the Olympics, it needs to get on board with everything that all the other sports do as well.

"I really don't think anyone should be fearful as I don't think that golf has any sort of drug problem at all. You have to be so careful about what you take, but that's part and parcel about being an athlete."

McIlroy, who has battled a recurring rib injury since January, has not won a tournament this year and missed the cut at the U.S. Open earlier this month, but hopes he can still finish the season on a strong note.

"I always felt 2017 was going to be a bit of a transitional year...," he added. "It's still got two majors (left) and I'd like to finish it well.

"But if I look back over my first 10 years as a pro, am I happy with where my career's at? I would say, 'yes, I guess'. But I definitely feel like in the next 10 years, that I can do better."





(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru)


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world