Golfer Vijay Singh withdrew from the Wells Fargo Championship on Wednesday due to a sore back, one day after the PGA Tour cleared him on Tuesday of any wrong doing for using deer-antler spray.
In February, the tour issued Singh a sanction for admitting to using deer-antler spray. The sanction, however, was dismissed on Tuesday after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) essentially removed deer-antler spray from its banned list, according to the Associated Press.
Deer-antler spray contains IGF-1, a human growth-like hormone that is banned by WADA. However, WADA told the tour last week that deer-antler spray is no longer prohibited except for a positive test result for elevated levels of IGF-1.
Because of the WADA rule change, the PGA had no choice but to drop its doping case against Singh.
"I view it as kind of cross-checking the box language," PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said. "We're going to say that it's not on the list for purposes of consumption. But just know that we're not liable here if for some reason or another you managed to trigger a positive test even though there is no test out there. So it is kind of silly, but it is what it is."
Singh, 50, admitted to Sports Illustrated in January that he paid $9,000 for deer-antler spray. Injuries have plagued him over the years, and he was looking to improve his body, according to ESPN.
"[I use the spray] every couple of hours. I'm looking forward to some change in my body," he said. "It's really hard to feel the difference if you're only doing it for a couple of months."
He released a statement after the January article appeared and said he was shocked to discover the deer-antler spray he took contained the banned substance IGF-1.
