Sky Sports.com

European Tour stars can now be tested at random

This week's Golf Night Forum tackled the issue of drugs and looked at the new anti-doping procedures on the European Tour.

Last weekend's European Open was the first Tour event where players were subject to random drugs testing and players could now be asked to provide urine samples at random at all future events.

Golf Night spoke to Director of Tour Operations David Garland about the processes that were being put in place and he explained the testing procedures and the consequences of a positive test.

"Six players were selected totally at random," he explained of the tests carried out at the London Club.

"There were three in the morning and three in the afternoon.

"Refusal to take a test would be seen as a positive test, an adverse finding, so we'd ask the player to reconsider because of the consequences.

"Every player on the Tour has signed a form to say that they will adhere to the anti-doping policy that we have in place so why would they refuse?

"A urine test is conducted in a private area and the process takes about 15 minutes. The samples are sent off to a laboratory - the one we're using this week is in London - and it takes 10 working days to get the results.

"The consequences of a positive test would depend on the substance found in the urine.

"If there's an adverse finding we first of all need to see if there's a TUE - therapeutic use exemption - to see if the player has the authority to use a medication because of a medical condition.

"Other than that, if it's something like an anabolic steroid it could be up to a year ban for a first offence."

Action

Garland also explained that in the event of a positive test, the type of substance found would determine what action would be taken by Tour officials.

He admitted that recreational drugs would be treated with more sympathy than performance-enhancing substances.

"As a members organisation we want to treat social and recreational drugs as something different," he continued.

"That's an area where we want to help the members, so we'd look at rehabilitation.

"We've made contact with a number of clinics and we'd tell the player to take some time away to get themselves sorted out. We'd help them to come back clean.

"I wouldn't use the word 'ban' in that instance. We'd ask them to be suspended and not to play because we need them to be clean when they come back."

Click on the video in the top right corner of your screen to see the views of the Golf Night panel on the introduction of drug testing.