The PGA Tour and Drug Testing

I haven't had much of an opinion on this issue. That is, until now. As I posted yesterday, it was reported that pro wrestler Chris Benoit, his wife and their son were found dead in their Atlanta home. Now, reports on the internet are saying that Benoit strangled his wife, smothered his son and then hanged himself and these reports claim that investigators are looking into what role steroids could have played in this tragedy. I haven't seen any news reports that definitively state that drugs were involved, but there has been a long listory of drug and steroid use in pro wrestling which has led to many deaths of wrestlers. Yesterday my post said I hoped these deaths would be the result of some blameless cause like carbon monoxide poisoning. That's because I am so tired of hearing about wrestlers and drugs and steroids. I started watching wrestling when I was about 10 or 12 years old and every time I hear one of these stories, it breaks my heart because I know how I felt watching wrestling as a kid and I know what the kids today who look up to these performers are feeling after hearing about the tragic deaths of Benoit and his family.

Even if there is no current problem with drug or steroid use in golf, I believe testing should be instituted. This way, children watching golf and looking up to the players won't have to experience what the kids who follow wrestling are feeling today. You might say, but wrestlers are big guys, they have muscles, steroids are a logical expectation and no one should be surprised. Well, Benoit had a gym in his home. He had no reason to take steroids. Many of these wrestlers work out every day. So, to say golfers have no reason to take steroids or drugs? Well, that argument doesn't really hold water with me.

Do I think a golfer's performance would be enhanced by taking a substance that would be banned with a testing policy? Maybe not. But I call your attention to a news story I heard on CBS News and then later read about on the internet. A cross country runner died of an overdose of an ingredient found in ben-gay and other topical pain medications. Does anyone expect to die from rubbing a lotion on your aching back? With a drug testing policy in place, maybe something like this could be prevented if the toxic ingredient would happen to show up during the test.

I think people need to look beyond the shame factor of drug testing and explore all the benefits a sound testing policy could provide. Lives could be saved and not just the athlete's.