Golfer Jordan Spieth of the United States said withdrawing from the Rio Olympics was one of the most hard decision he had ever had to make.
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Instead, he’ll stick to “events like track and field, swimming, diving, the stuff that matters”.
While this may be a matter where much of which is subjective, McIlroy’s argument on HGH and blood testing is objectively true.
Rory McIlroy, Jason Day and Dustin Johnson had already withdrawn amid fears over the mosquito-borne virus, meaning that none of the world’s current top four players will feature in Rio.
McIlroy, who rates the four Majors as more important, also questioned whether golf was doing enough to justify its Olympic status in terms of drug-testing.
“I think he’ll regret those words for the rest of his life”, said Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee.
Rose – who said he hoped McIlroy’s outburst was a “slip of the tongue” – also refuted his Ryder Cup colleague’s claims that golf needed to up its game when it came to drugs testing. I didn’t get into golf to try and grow the game.
Asked how winning a medal would size up against claiming one of golf’s majors, the 35-year-old added: “I don’t think you can compare the two. The impact of the Olympics on those type of numbers across the world is part of the reason that golf is a success as an Olympic sport this summer”.
“I’ve been tested by the IGF (International Golf Federation) once this year… but it was only a urine test. I haven’t been blood-tested yet”. “I bounced back and forth with it, and ultimately a decision had to be made (Monday), and so I made it”.
Spieth, who did not elaborate on those concerns, said he was a big fan of the Games and that was why it was so tough for him to decide not to go.
Of course golf doesn’t appear in any danger of a doping scandal, and McIlroy admitted he doesn’t know of a banned substance that could substantially help a golfer in particular. So I will be going back there, I just dont think its appropriate this year..
“I feel that many, if not all of you would have made the same decision as I made if you were in my shoes, whether you believe it or not, so be it”.
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Fowler announced this week he’ll be taking part in the 2016 Olympics in Rio, despite the recent trend from other top golfers to drop out of the event. This is the first time golf has been in the Olympics for a long time and if the best players aren’t there, supporting the event and competing in it, then what’s the point? “I can tell you that I’m not specifically pinpointing any one thing in my health concerns either”, he said.
