Greg Norman hit an astonishing new low on Wednesday when the golfer determined to speak about criticism of the Saudi Arabian authorities as a part of the Saudi-backed LIV golf collection, of which he’s an organizing member. The league’s goal is to wrestle management of worldwide golf from the PGA Tour, however extra importantly serves as a part of the nation’s sportswashing marketing campaign to make use of giant, worldwide occasions to deflect from the nation’s human rights atrocities.
Norman spoke at an LIV-sponsored occasion in England and dove in to addressing the elephant within the room, specifically Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations, and the homicide of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.
“This complete factor about Saudi Arabia and Khashoggi and human rights, discuss it, but additionally speak concerning the good that the nation is doing in altering its tradition. Look, we’ve all made errors and also you simply need to study by these errors and how one can appropriate them going ahead,”
Simply to be clear: Norman’s suggestion is not to speak about human rights violations with out discussing tradition change, and likewise that ordering the homicide of a journalist inside an embassy, taking a human life for being vital of a regime, is a mistake that may by some means be “corrected” transferring ahead.
Whereas Norman is gleefully accepting his blood cash, he means that critics simply want to maneuver on.
“I haven’t had a private dialog with MBS (Saudi prince Muhammed bin Salman), I’ve by no means met the man, however on the identical time I do learn that the Saudi authorities has made their statements and feedback about it they usually need to transfer ahead.”
Whereas Norman has learn the Saudi Arabian authorities’s place on the difficulty, maybe he hasn’t regarded over the intelligence experiences of the worldwide group? A 2021 report launched by Biden administration mentioned, in no unsure phrases, that Muhammad bin Salman immediately ordered Khashoggi to be detained or killed.
“We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman authorised an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to seize or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”
These are the phrases Norman is keen to just accept. Positive, he’s part of a marketing campaign to enhance the notion of the Saudi regime overseas and gloss over their human rights violations, nevertheless it’s all concerning the cash — and that trumps every little thing else for these concerned within the the LIV. The LIV league is ready to supply enormous prize cash and unprecedented purses to the golfers keen to show their backs on the PGA Tour, in an try and wrestle the management of worldwide golf.
In relation to the wealth being thrown round there’s no room for criticism within the minds of individuals like Greg Norman. The ends justify the means, regardless of how soiled or gross it’s alongside the best way.
