MARANA, Arizona: The PGA Tour says it will announce a decision “relatively soon” following the admission by former world number one Vijay Singh that he had been using deer antler spray, which contains a banned substance.
Fijian Singh, a three-times major winner, told Sports Illustrated magazine he had experimented with deer antler spray for “a couple of months” but was unaware the extract contained an insulin-like growth factor banned by the PGA Tour.
The spray, which is believed to speed up recovery from injury, is produced by Sports with Alternatives to Steroids (SWATS) and contains IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor), a natural anabolic hormone that stimulates muscle growth.
Asked by reporters when the PGA Tour would officially act on Singh’s admission, Commissioner Tim Finchem replied: “Relatively soon. We’re in our process.
“Under our doping rules, unlike our conduct rules, we are required to announce any kind of suspensions that emanate from the use of PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs) or other violations of the doping code.
“And if that is forthcoming, we will announce it in due course.”
Asked if he was concerned there might be a perception the PGA Tour was dragging its feet on possibly penalising Singh, Finchem replied: “Well, I can’t speak to the perception.
“Candidly if you just look at it, there’s no time urgency here, because if action is taken it’ll be reported. If no action is taken, it won’t be reported, and that’ll be the end of that. I’m not concerned about that.”
Finchem was speaking to reporters during the final of the elite WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship at Dove Mountain’s Ritz-Carlton Golf Club.
Last month, Singh said in a statement: “While I have used deer antler spray, at no time was I aware that it may contain a substance that is banned under the PGA Tour anti-doping policy.
Reuters
