Golfer suspended for consuming custard pudding containing banned substance

A young amateur golfer in New Zealand received a six-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance found in her custard pudding.

The Sports Tribunal accepted the golfer's claim that she did not knowingly consume the banned substance Enobosarm, also known as ostarine, which is used to improve muscle mass and bone density. However, the Tribunal rejected her assertion that she may have inadvertently ingested it through kissing a bodybuilder, citing a witness who said the bodybuilder had a reputation for using steroids.

Following the hearing, the Sports Tribunal reduced the initial four-year ban to six months, effective January 31, allowing her to start playing golf again.

According to the golfer's account, the group of golfers stayed in an Airbnb during a golf event in the South Island. During the last two days of their stay, two additional individuals, including the bodybuilder, joined them.

One of the guests used custard powder in his smoothies and cereals, and the same powder was used to make the custard pudding in question. The tribunal stated in the judgment, as per Stuff:

"Entirely possible that ostarine was added to the custard pudding at the house so as to cause its contamination”.

"Indeed, while the tribunal cannot be sure we are nonetheless satisfied on the balance of probabilities... that the custard powder was contaminated and that [name hidden] unintentionally ingested ostarine through consuming the two spoonsful of it."

According to Drug-Free Sport NZ, ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM). These substances can help in building muscle mass and strength but can also have serious side effects, including the risk of heart attack, stroke, and life-threatening liver toxicity.

Drug-Free Sport New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Paterson stated that this case serves as a lesson for athletes to be responsible when it comes to drug use.

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Has any professional golfer been banned for doping?

There have not been many cases of doping in professional golf. In March 2019, Robert Garrigus was banned for three months for using marijuana, becoming the first PGA Tour professional to receive a public suspension for testing positive for a "drug of abuse." Later that year, Matt Every was banned for 12 weeks for using cannabis.

However, both golfers said that they used it for medical purposes. While Every claimed he used it to treat a "mental health condition," Garrigus used it for knee and back pain treatment.

The PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said that they didn't determine if marijuana was allowed or not. In addition, they followed the guidelines set by WADA.

"Ultimately, we don’t determine what is a banned substance and what’s not," said Monahahn as per NBC Sports. "We rely on WADA for doing that. We’ll continue to stay very close not only to that substance but any potential substance that would come on or come off the list."

In 2013, Vijay Singh admitted to using deer-antler spray, which consisted of the banned substance IGF-1. However, he escaped any kind of ban by the PGA Tour because WADA had lifted the ban on using the said substance.