Marijuana Marshaling to Be Softened by WADA; PGA Tour Next?

Marijuana Marshaling to Be Softened by WADA; PGA Tour Next?











Ryan Ballengee May 14, 2013 5:28 PM


COMMENTARY | The World Anti-Doping Agency has decided to stop worrying about athletes smoking marijuana weeks before competition. The PGA Tour following suit, however, is a foggy proposition.



WADA's Executive Committee and Foundation Board met May 12 in Montreal,


http://golfweek.com/news/2013/may/14/tour-mum-wada-softens-stance-marijuana/">according to Golfweek, and, among other changes made to the agency's code for 2015 is the amount of cannabinoids that can be in a tested athlete's sample. The body hiked the amount by a factor of 10 -- from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng/mL.





In other words, if an athlete uses marijuana in the weeks leading up to an event, they'll soon be much less likely to get caught in an on-site drug test than one who is smoking up just before or during competition.



As far as WADA is concerned, marijuana is a recreational drug that is not considered performance-enhancing. They've decided to treat is as such.



That decision may have implications for the PGA Tour, which adheres to WADA's code and guidelines when administering their anti-doping program, which began in 2008. Under the Tour's program, a positive test for cannabinoids can result in a sanction, but neither has to be disclosed to the public.



This WADA change, however, will not be implemented for another two years. A change to the agency's code recently may lead the PGA Tour all the way to court.



A week ago on Wednesday, the PGA Tour was sued by Vijay Singh in New York State Supreme Court for their handling of Singh's admitted use of deer-antler spray in a Jan. 28, 2013, Sports Illustrated article.



Singh was to be suspended for 90 days for acknowledging use of the product, which is said to contain IGF-1, an insulin-like hormone that can only be absorbed by the body through an injection, not orally. After conducting an investigation, the PGA Tour consulted with WADA in response to Singh's protest of his pending suspension. WADA replied, saying it had removed deer-antler spray from its list of banned substances, saying only a positive blood test for IGF-1 could be grounds for sanction. The PGA Tour does not currently collect blood samples from players.



However, the best-known case of the PGA Tour's handling of marijuana use may be the 2010 situation involving Matt Every.



Every, 26 at the time, was arrested on July 6 for a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession during the week of the John Deere Classic. The PGA Tour suspended Every for three months, but did so under the umbrella idea of "conduct unbecoming a professional" that's covered in the player handbook, not the anti-doping program.



The PGA Tour did not comment to Golfweek for their report, saying they had just been made aware of WADA's decision.



Ryan Ballengee is a Washington, D.C.-based golf writer. His work has appeared on multiple digital outlets, including NBC Sports and Golf Channel. Follow him on Twitter @RyanBallengee.