Japan tour to introduce dope tests

The Japan Golf Tour Organisation intend to follow the lead of the European and PGA Tours by introducing dope tests for its players from next season.

The European and US tours have announced that they will begin random drug tests from July onwards and the PGA Championship in August will become the first golf major to conduct dope testing.

Dope testing is already in place in Japan’s professional football and baseball leagues and Kyodo News reported on Monday that Japanese golf intend to follow suit in 2009.

“We have no choice but to follow international moves and introduce (doping controls),” said JGTO senior director Hiroshi Yamanaka.

“We are also studying cases in the J.League and pro baseball,” he added.