Woods’ manager has come out to deny claims he is secretly serving a drugs ban.
Journeyman golfer Dan Olsen has retracted comments made on Friday in which he claimed Tiger Woods has been suspended by the PGA for drug use.
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The 48-year-old, who last played on the professional tour in 2011, said Woods was currently serving a secret one-month ban.
“I heard he’s on a month’s suspension. … It’s kind of a strong witness. It’s a credible person who is telling me this,” Olsen is quoted as saying by ESPN.
“It’s not testosterone, but it’s something else.
“I think when it’s all said and done, he’s gonna surpass Lance Armstrong with infamy.”
However, Olsen has now retracted all statements, saying they were only his “opinion.”
“Everything I said on that radio interview was only my opinion and not based on any firsthand knowledge or facts,” Olsen told ESPN.com.
“I want to make a full retraction to everything I said for the entire radio interview, and I apologize to Tiger, Nike, Phil [Mickelson], [commissioner] Tim Finchem and the PGA Tour.”
Executive vice president of the PGA Tour, Tim Votaw, denied all allegations made by Olsen.
“There is no truth whatsoever to these claims,” Votaw is quoted as saying by ESPN.
“We categorically deny these allegations.”
“These claims are absolutely, unequivocally and completely false,” said Woods’ agent Mark Steinberg in a statement.
“They are unsourced, unverified and completely ridiculous. The PGA Tour has confirmed that there is no truth to these claims.”
The PGA Tour is required to announce all suspensions relating to performance-enhancing drugs.
Woods announced earlier this month that he would be taking an indefinite break from golf to work on issues with his game.
The American has struggled with injury in recent times and has now dropped to 70th on the PGA rankings.
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