Golfhacker11

such, it has to get in line with the other
game. Others have also highlighted the
green. Prescribed to those who suffer from
blockers,' Norman claimed in in 2012. 'It
ADHD. It is a drug that can increase
Special Report
'In my day, lots of guys were on beta
substance list and even went as far as using
WADA accredited laboratories. The logic
wasn't openly acknowledged, but it was
was simple, if the European Tour could do
it, then so could the PGA Tour.
obvious to the rest of us. A guy's personality
would change.'
Something certainly needed to change
especially when players themselves were
Whether or not Norman’s claims are true,
remains to be seen. However, his allegations
becoming highly critical of the PGA Tour’s
measures with regards to stemming the use
are in the public domain and if true, casts
doubts over the integrity of the game. A
of performance-enhancing drugs (PED)
game that prides itself on that integrity.
within the game. One such critic was none
other than Rory McIlroy.
There is, of course, players out there that
may depend on beta blockers for health
"I could use HGH and get away with it,"
reasons.
McIlroy said. "So I think blood testing is
If any players have any health issues then
something that needs to happen in golf just
to make sure that it is a clean sport going
they can apply for a Therapeutic Use
Exemption (TUE). TUE’s can only be used
forward … If golf is in the Olympics and golf
wants to be seen as a mainstream sport as
with the consent of a doctor but allows
athletes to use drugs prohibited on the
WADA list if proof that an athlete's health is
sports that test more rigorously."
at risk without those drugs.
When athletes know they could get away
The issue of TUE’s really came to light during
with it, then it becomes clear that there is a
serious problem. McIlroy is not the first
the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. The hacking
group known as “Fancy Bears” revealed
player to highlight the issue within the
athletes TUE’s during the games and golf
was not immune. One player who came to
misuse of drugs. Greg Norman has claimed
that players had been using beta blockers
light was Patrick Reed.
for years during his career.
Reed’s TUE stated that he was allowed to
It might a different drug when compared to
compete in the Games with a four
exemption for the drug, Vyvanse. Vyvanse is
HGH (Human Growth Hormone) but beta
blockers are possibly the performance
a drug commonly used to help those with
enhancement drug of choice within a game
that measures success and failure on the
attention and decrease hyperactivity. In
other words, a performance enhancer in
panic attacks, beta blockers can lower the
regards to the game of Golf. Under
Reed’s TUE, he was permitted to use a drug
heart rate and combat any form of anxiety.
In the world of golf, they could easily be
on the banned list. Whilst Reed has done
nothing wrong and has followed the correct
seen as the ultimate PED.