Pro Golfers Need To Stand Up For Human Rights
Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, and all the LIV Golf stars could take a leaf out of the stance taken by the World Cup Socceroos. LIV pro golfers need to stand up for human rights in the country they source their wages from – Saudi Arabia. If these Middle East nations want to be associated with elite western sports, then, their record on human rights has to be accounted for and cleaned up. Autocratic regimes that operate in contravention of the UN’s standards on human rights for women, LGBTQI+, ethnic minorities, and religious freedoms cannot be involved in world sports like golf as things currently stand.
How About Human Rights In Saudi Arabia, Greg?
Greg Norman and the LIV golf cohort are deafeningly silent on these matters, as they cash their Saudi bank cheques. World Cup footballers are speaking up on the eve of the global event in Qatar. Golf, which is a game built on integrity and through the PGA tours raises a lot of money for charity, must stand up for human rights.
Sports are games made possible by the fairness and freedoms inherent within the nations they flourish in. Golf is a game for all the people, from all walks of life whatever the gender, ethnicity, sexual preference, and ability.
Golf being bankrolled by entities directly associated with regimes involved in murder, incarceration of dissenters, torture, and war crimes is a public disgrace.
Hang Your Head in Shame LIV Golfer
The longer this farce goes on the more that golfers like Cam Smith, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, Brookes Koepka, and Phil Mickelson will have to hang their heads in shame. Rory McIlroy in contrast is going from strength to strength as a shining light for professional golfers and sports people everywhere.
Blood money and money caked in bad shit sticks to those that open their pockets to it. If you get to play a game for a living – you need to lead by example on the world stage.
Women Draped in Black in the Hot Desert
My kid asked me the other day, “ why do all the women have to wear those black robes covering them from head to foot, whilst all the men wear white? Isn’t it pretty hot in Saudi Arabia?” Well spotted Buddy – that encapsulates the basic unfairness and stupidity of the whole set up there. Sure, you can talk about cultural complexities but the simple fact that women are forced to dress like that in that climate is crazy, meanwhile all the blokes get to wear cooling white. Women weren’t allowed to drive cars until very recently. Mass executions, torture, floggings, and women cannot get married or get healthcare without approval from a male. Golf needs to get its ship back in order or cut off the infected limb before it goes gangrene. LIV pro golfers need to stand up for human rights – be a bigger man than your bank balance for a change!
