Golfer Vijay Singh Under Criticism for Getting Away With Doping

The PGA Tour decided not to sanction golfer Vijay Singh for violating the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Policy. The sports writers covering the sport of professional golf are up in arms over what they characterize as an athlete “getting away” with doping. What performance-enhancing drug did Singh use? Was it anabolic steroids? Amphetamines? Human growth hormone?

It was insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). At least that is what the self-righteous sports writers and fans want everyone to think.

In reality, the product Vijay Singh was guilty of using is a deer-antler spray product produced by S.W.A.T.S. You see, the company promotes the product as containing trace amounts of IGF-1 that naturally occur in deer antler velvet. Of course, anyone familiar with performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) knows that this claim is simply a marketing gimmick. No significant amounts of IGF-1 exist in deer antler velvet sold as an ingredient in dietary supplements. More IGF-1 can likely be found in cow's milk. Moreover, IGF-1 can not be effectively delivered either orally or transdermally.

The so-called scandal arose when Singh actually admitted violating the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Policy in an interview with Sports Illustrated in January 2013. Sports Illustrated created an “imaginary doping scandal” putting the use of deer antler spray on par with legitmate ergogens like anabolic steroids.

Unfortunately, Singh was hoodwinked not once but twice. First by the charlatans at S.W.A.T.S. who sold him the deer antler spray. And then by the sports writers at Sports Illustrated (SI) who persuasively convinced Singh that he cheated. This made him feel so guilty that he admitted to it.

Singh's admission placed the PGA Tour in a difficult situation. An admission, even if the athlete isn't really cheating, is sufficient to sanction an athlete for a doping violation under the sport's anti-doping policy.

But how could the PGA Tour credibly ban Singh for his non-doping doping admission?

The PGA Tour consulted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for their advice and clarification.

While IGF-1 is explicitly banned by the WADA Code, WADA said that “deer antler spray” itself was NOT banned. Deer antler spray (presumably like colostrum) can be used by athletes as long as it doesn't trigger a positive test for IGF-1 or hGH.

But WADA warned that the consumption could conceivably affect anti-doping tests and WADA would show no leniency if that were to happen.

“On the other hand it should be known deer-antler spray contains small amounts of IGF-1 that may affect anti-doping tests. Players should be warned that in the case of a positive test for IGF-1, or HGH, it would be considered an adverse analytical finding.”

The irony is that WADA does not currently have a reliable test for detecting IGF-1 use. PGA commissioner Tim Finchem struggled to explain WADA's guidance on deer antler spray during a 20-minute Q&A session with the press.

“A positive reading means that you’re surpassing a certain level. There hasn’t been any level ever set ...,” Finchem said. “Just know that we’re not liable here if for some reason or another you managed to trigger a positive test even though there is no test out there. It is kind of silly, but it is what it is.”

In the end, Vijay Singh wasn't sanctioned for using a product that doesn't work – and rightly so. And even if it did work, WADA wouldn't be able to test for it. 

Source:

Hoggard, R. (May 1, 2013). Verdict in Singh doping case just adds to confusion. Retrieved from //www.golfchannel.com/news/rex-hoggard/verdict-in-singh-case-adds-uncertainty-to-doping-on-tour/