Gary Player caused controversy at Carnoustie in '07 for asserting players used PEDs.GETTY IMAGES
As The Open prepared to introduce blood-testing this week, former golfer Gary Player said that golf "will never be drug-free," according to Rick Broadbent of the LONDON TIMES. The nine-time major winner "caused controversy" in '07 at the Open Championship at Carnoustie when he said that he knew for "a fact" that some players took performance-enhancing drugs. The R&A, which organizes The Open, introduced blood-testing at the course this week. Player, who won at Carnoustie 50 years ago, on Monday "questioned why it had taken so long." He said, "Why so late? We are the last of all sports to do it. We have had players who have used performance-enhancing drugs. Are we ever going to be able to stop it? No. There's too much involved. That's the world we live in." Figures from WADA showed that golf performed the fewest drug tests of any Olympic discipline in '15. Two years ago, Rory McIlroy "called for more stringent testing," saying that he could "use HGH [human growth hormone] and get away with it" (LONDON TIMES, 7/17).
