Amateurs to face drug testing

Time was when golf was purely a game of honour. Now, the country's top amateurs will have to agree to undergo mandatory drug testing after the delegates to the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) annual general meeting in Malahide yesterday incorporated such rule changes into the organisation's constitution.

The changes were requested by the Irish Sports Council, as it is a condition of any sporting body which wishes to receive Government aid for elite athletes. The GUI will be guided by the International Olympic Committee's list of banned substances in implementing the Council's wishes.

But those club golfers on prescribed medicines have nothing to fear - it won't affect their therapeutic weekly four-ball - as such medicinal usage is outside the criteria.

While the drugs issue reflects the changing times in modern sport, so too does the amount of money that the GUI is required to invest in coaching. Indeed, the GUI expect to spend over £250,000 - at national and provincial level - for coaching in 2000, almost double that in the past 12 months.

There were no contentious motions on the order of business, although delegates decided to rescind the ruling on golf classics which required teams to be split teams or have a marker. But the GUI has strongly recommended that results of such classics be forwarded to the relevant provincial branch.

Nine clubs were affiliated to the GUI, bringing the number of clubs nationally to 391.

Paddy Murphy, who brings with him a strong sporting ecumenism, was installed as the new president of the GUI. A member of Newlands, he has competed in athletics, Gaelic football and soccer to a high level and is a former chairman of the Leinster Branch GUI.

Eddie Dunne (Athlone), a former international, assumed captaincy of the Irish team from outgoing captain Mick Craddock, of Malahide.

GUI Officers

President - P Murphy (Newlands); president-elect - B Black (Malone); hon. secretary - G O'Brien (Clontarf); hon. treasurer - R McClure (Malone).

Executive Committee - Murphy, Black, O'Brien, McClure, M O'Donoghue (Galway), F Perry (Co Sligo), A Lee (Mullingar), B Doyle (Carlow), J Lynch (Limerick), S MacMahon (Adare Manor), L Shanks (Royal Portrush), PJ Collins (Co Armagh), T Grealy (Roscommon).

Finance Committee - Union Officers; Trustees; Ex Officio; Connacht: G Golden (Westport), Leinster: F Buckley (Hermitage); Munster: B Hynes (Carrick-on-Suir); Ulster: C Lindsay (Massereene).

Representatives - CONGU: Black, Lee. STRI: J Carroll (Dundalk). EGA: I Bamford (Royal Portrush). Golf Foundation: P O'Sullivan (Muskerry). CONGU SSS & Handicapping: S McBurney (Massereene), M Cashman (Cobh). Green-keeper Training: E O'Connor (Donegal).

Irish team captain: E Dunne (Athlone). Youths' team captain: J Long (Rosslare). Boys' team captain: J McLoughney (Templemore). Irish selectors: Dunne, M Gannon (Co Louth), M Craddock (Malahide), M Burns (Tramore), B Hoey (Shandon Park). Junior selectors: V O'Connor (Co Cavan), Long, McLoughney, M Waters (Oughterard), B Doyle (Carlow), J Brett (Douglas).