Oscar Wilde once said, the only thing worse than getting talked about is not getting talked about.
Agree or disagree with it, when drug abuse is added to the mix where would you stand?
This weekend a RUMOUR, emphasis on the rumour, broke on social media; that Tiger Woods had been given a PGA Tour ban for substance misuse. Now many will believe it, many will not but the problem is that the rumour mill is now turning.
You would think that the normal course of action would be for people to simply contact the PGA Tour to confirm or deny this, but as I say this would be normal but we are talking about the PGA Tour.
Let's look at Dustin Johnson. Many think that he was banned by the PGA for six months for substance abuse. However, according to the player himself, he took a voluntary six month hiatus to deal with some personal issues. The official tour line was? Well there wasn't one!
Let me give you a hypothetical. Assume for a second, as hard as this may be, that I am a PGA Tour player; I injure my knee and rip all my ligaments. Now I do not need an operation but I am out of commission for three months. That night someone tweets 'Ray Matthew failed a drug test, he has been banned by the tour' Straight away I would issue a press release that this is false, I simply have an injured knee- but the rumour is out there.
Will the Tour issue a statement stating 'we can categorically deny that Ray Matthew failed a drug test' No they couldn't because if they confirmed that I hadn't failed a drug test, would they be able to deny that Dustin Johnson had passed his drugs test?
These are issues that are created by the tour, as they do not have a policy of clarity and openness regarding matters of substance testing. Which is a policy they have in place to 'protect' the privacy of the players. Forty years ago, they may have gotten away with such a closed door policy, but this is the era of social media and the Internet. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?
If a player is using recreational drugs, I do not care. If a player is using PED's ( performance enhancing drugs) I do care. No matter what your personal opinion, recreational drugs have been, will be and will continue to be part of society.
Personally I feel that it is wrong to bring a player to task over their personal life choices.
So again hypothetically, if Tiger or any other player is allegedly addicted to painkillers, what is worse? The speculation or the truth?
It is time for the Tour to simply state the facts to the public, that when a player is banned, why they are banned. This will put an end to speculation and detrimental allegations. Transparency is surely better for all parties.
Agree or disagree with it, when drug abuse is added to the mix where would you stand?
This weekend a RUMOUR, emphasis on the rumour, broke on social media; that Tiger Woods had been given a PGA Tour ban for substance misuse. Now many will believe it, many will not but the problem is that the rumour mill is now turning.
You would think that the normal course of action would be for people to simply contact the PGA Tour to confirm or deny this, but as I say this would be normal but we are talking about the PGA Tour.
Let's look at Dustin Johnson. Many think that he was banned by the PGA for six months for substance abuse. However, according to the player himself, he took a voluntary six month hiatus to deal with some personal issues. The official tour line was? Well there wasn't one!
Let me give you a hypothetical. Assume for a second, as hard as this may be, that I am a PGA Tour player; I injure my knee and rip all my ligaments. Now I do not need an operation but I am out of commission for three months. That night someone tweets 'Ray Matthew failed a drug test, he has been banned by the tour' Straight away I would issue a press release that this is false, I simply have an injured knee- but the rumour is out there.
Will the Tour issue a statement stating 'we can categorically deny that Ray Matthew failed a drug test' No they couldn't because if they confirmed that I hadn't failed a drug test, would they be able to deny that Dustin Johnson had passed his drugs test?
These are issues that are created by the tour, as they do not have a policy of clarity and openness regarding matters of substance testing. Which is a policy they have in place to 'protect' the privacy of the players. Forty years ago, they may have gotten away with such a closed door policy, but this is the era of social media and the Internet. Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?
If a player is using recreational drugs, I do not care. If a player is using PED's ( performance enhancing drugs) I do care. No matter what your personal opinion, recreational drugs have been, will be and will continue to be part of society.
Personally I feel that it is wrong to bring a player to task over their personal life choices.
So again hypothetically, if Tiger or any other player is allegedly addicted to painkillers, what is worse? The speculation or the truth?
It is time for the Tour to simply state the facts to the public, that when a player is banned, why they are banned. This will put an end to speculation and detrimental allegations. Transparency is surely better for all parties.
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