A South African golfer has been suspended for a year, stripped of his final order of merit placing , and fined after failing a drug test.
Etienne Bond, 36, participated on the Big Easy Tour in 2017 and failed an anti-doping test for the use of Carvedilol, which is classified as a BETA Blocker by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Bond did not have a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) in place for the use of the substance. He admitted guilt and accepted the sanction handed down by the Southern Africa PGA Tour.
Bond was disqualified from 2017 events on the Big Easy Tour and he was removed from the final order of merit.
Bond has also been suspended for a period of 12 months during which he is not eligible to participate in any professional golf events until October 2, 2018.
The Sunshine Tour handed down the sanction after Bond failed a test conducted by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport. Bond’s sample was analysed by the WADA accredited Ghent Doping Control Laboratory in Belgium.
His fine was 5,000 Rand, or about $351.