MONTREAL, Sept 25, 2007: Tiger Woods called for tough penalties on golf doping cheats Monday and said the public dishonor would be severe for violating the new testing program slated to start in 2008.

Speaking in a conference call here as players gathered for the Presidents Cup, world number one Woods made his first public comments on the program announced last Thursday by US PGA commissioner Tim Finchem and govrning bodies.

“Given our reputation in our sport, how honorable our sport is and always has been and will continue to be, I think that the penalty has got to be somewhat significant,” Woods said.

“I believe that it has to be somewhat significant because the sport has been traditionally about honor and I think that someone who breaks that code of ethic in our sport should be penalized.”

Woods said there have been widespread suspicions that performance-enhancing substances have been used by players, sometimes to stay calm for putts or to help boost strength.

“This is the only sport in which you call your own penalties. You can imagine if... Michael Jordan says, ‘You know what, sorry, ref, I actually traveled on that one. It should be their ball.’

“We think that’s pretty funny to say that stuff, but that’s actually how our sport works. I’ve called penalties on myself. I know numerous other guys have done the same thing.—AFP