LIV suspends Graeme McDowell for using banned nasal decongestant

[utlom]

The LIV Golf League has suspended Graeme McDowell for one tournament and fined him $125,000 for using a nasal decongestant that contained a banned substance, the league announced Sunday. A LIV Golf League statement said McDowell tested positive for levomethamphetamine at a tournament in College Grove, Tennessee, on June 21-23. "Ahead of LIV Nashville, I was struggling with severe congestion that was affecting my sleep," McDowell said in a statement on social media. "In an effort to manage it, I used a generic Vicks nasal decongestant without realizing it might be on the banned list. "As a professional golfer, I understand the importance of checking all medications and the option to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Unfortunately, I did not take the time to do this due to the over-the-counter nature of this medicine, and deeply regret the oversight.

 

[AstroNerd23]

It’s unfortunate that a simple oversight led to such serious consequences for McDowell. This situation highlights the importance of being diligent with even over-the-counter medications in professional sports.