The 800-Pound Gorilla

I have a feeling I may regret this post in the future and I know there are two (or more) sides to every story, but I am perplexed by the Doug Barron case. Barron is a journeyman, 40 something year old pro golfer. He is the first PGA Tour golfer to be suspended from the Tour for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs since the Tour's anti-doping policy was instituted in 2008. Barron played in one PGA tour event this year, the St. Jude Classic in Memphis, Tennessee, on a sponsor exemption. He was born in Memphis. He missed the cut. He played in four tournaments on the Nike Tour in 2009 and missed the cut in all four!

According to Barron, he has taken beta blockers since 1987 when he was diagnosed at age 18 with mitral valve prolapse. In 2005, Barron was diagnosed with low testosterone and began taking monthly injections of testosterone. Both are banned substances under the Tour's anti-doping policy. The beta-blocker that Barron was taking calms nerves, which would be very helpful for a golfer with the "yips", and testosterone builds muscles and reduces fat which might arguably improve your golf game (but see Phil Mickelson). But for the performance-enhancing drugs, Doug Barron may be playing the public courses with me!

Before the anti-doping policy was instituted in 2008, Barron applied to the PGA Tour for a therapeutic use exemption, which the Tour denied. The PGA claimed that Barron's testosterone levels were within acceptable tolerances, without the testosterone (maybe we should ask his wife!). Barron was told to begin weaning off the beta blockers and testosterone even though, arguably, it could adversely affect his health. Barron claims that he tried to wean off of the drugs. At the St. Jude Classic, he was selected for testing and tested positive for both substances.

Barron was getting ready to compete in the second round of the Tour Qualifying School when he was informed that he tested positive for the banned substances and he was suspended for one year. Barron filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to permit him to play in the Q-School and a judge in Memphis, Tennessee has taken the matter under advisement and may issue an order as early as later today. If the court does not permit Barron to play in the second round of the Tour Q-School he will not be able to play on the PGA Tour in 2010 except under a sponsor exemption, even if he later successfully overturns the suspension. Therefore, it is likely that the judge will grant the preliminary injunction to maintain the status quo and the case will move forward.

I fully understand the "slippery slope" argument and the "integrity of the game" argument, but in this case and in the Casey Martin case, it just looks like the PGA Tour is taking a very narrow position because it is the 800-pound gorilla and it can (although the PGA ultimately lost the Casey Martin case)! If Doug Barron is trying to scam the system and does not need the banned substances to lead a normal life, or the drugs are giving him a competitive advantage over non-disabled competitors, then I have no problem with the PGA position. However, if a world-class golfer who is disabled needs to use a golf cart to compete on somewhat equal footing with his peers or take doctor-prescribed drugs to maintain normal health, he should not have to choose his career over his health. In a diverse society we should be applauding athletes that overcome adversity to compete at the highest levels; instead, the PGA is trying to drive these athletes asunder.