For as much as has been written in the last 36 hours since the PGA Tour revealed Doug Barron as the first player to be suspended under its anti-doping policy, there has been nothing written about the specifics of the plan.  Curious to learn more about the policy, I obtained a copy of the PGA Tour Anti-Doping Policy Program Manual for 2009.  Reading it helped me to better understand how the program is administered and how results are handled.

The policy covers any player that competes in a PGA Tour or Nationwide Tour-sanctioned event.  An opt-out is not allowed.  The policy excludes players that compete on the Champions Tour, but former and retired players can be sanctioned for actions violating the policy during their playing days.

For those not aware, the tests are administered by the National Center for Drug Free Sport, or Drug Free Sport for short.  They handle testing for every other major sporting league in the country except the NHL.

Testing occurs without notice and can occur during and outside of tournament competition.  They can roll up to your house and ask for your sample.  The process for collection and analysis is standardized across drug testing policies in sport.  Players can ask for and be granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption for banned substances that they are taking that are prescribed specifically for purposes that don't enhance performance and where there is no alternative allowed substance.

If it turns out that a player has tested positively for a banned substance in their A sample and B sample, then the Tour can take sanctions against that player.  But, the Tour can also take sanctions against players for a variety of behavior related to drug activity including "possession, use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method; refusing or failing to be tested; tampering with a sample; trafficking in or administering any prohibited substance; or admitting to any conduct that violates the Program."

Once Program Administrator Allison Keller determines that a violation has occurred, the player has seven days to provide a written explanation/excuse for the positive test.  Then, if a sanction is still imposed, that will take effect after seven days of being issued.  A player can appeal to the Commissioner and a hearing must be heard within 45 days of that appeal.

In other words, at most nearly sixty days can pass between a positive test and a player sanction.

So, what are the sanctions?  They can range wildly.  It can be disqualification.  It can be a ban of one year for a first time offense, five years for a second time, and a lifetime ban for a third positive test.  Players may be fined or forced into counseling in addition to or in lieu of sanctions. 

But, the Tour also "reserves the right to not impose any sanction if that sanction would benefit a player’s standing in any manner."  Moreover, "the Commissioner may depart from the sanction guidance in the International Anti-Doping Standards as he deems appropriate in a particular case. " In other words, the Tour can choose not to punish a player for a positive test.  

There are also clear rules to determine what the public will learn of the violations.  The Tour will "at a minimum, publish the name of the player, the fact that the player committed an anti-doping rule violation, and the sanction imposed."  But, that will only occur in cases in which sanctions of ineligibility (i.e., suspension) or disqualification are levied.  Also, in the case of Drugs of Abuse - e.g., cocaine and marijuana - the Tour may not publish any information.  Depending on the sanction levied, the Tour may not be required to notify the public of the incident.

The Tour is also under no obligation to disclose the actual offending substance.  In fact, under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, there are legal questions about the Tour's capacity to release those details.

For anyone that is cynical about the Tour's transparency, they have a right to be cynical.  There is a major loophole that the Tour can use to sweep a positive test under the proverbial rug. 

The criteria for determining if a sanction would benefit a player's standing is not absolutely clear.  A player's world ranking could benefit by having the results of a tournament wiped while played under the influence of PEDs.  Also, the Tour can saction a player in such a way that it does not have to notify the public of what happened.

Obviously, there has been no evidence of warping this part of the policy to keep positive results quiet.  But, this positive test from Doug Barron does create a call to take a more stringent look at the administration of the PGA Tour's drug testing policy.