Clearly the world of professional golf, of which I am normally a huge admirer, has a complete absence of principle and conscience when it comes to human rights. This weekend, the European tour is holding its annual Saudi Arabia International event in, rather obviously, Saudi Arabia. In a country where women have few rights, where people are regularly executed for the most trivial of ‘crimes’, a country that has caused carnage in Yemen and is regarded as ‘the worst of the worst’ in the annual survey of political and civil rights, golfers defend their right to make money.
The English professional Eddie Pepperell defended his decision to play.
“It clearly is true that Saudi Arabia’s human rights record is questionable at best, and appalling to anyone in the West. But should that mean we boycott competing?
“The problem with taking a moral approach to us playing in Saudi Arabia this week is that it would lay bare many contradictions of the past.
“Like, for example, why do we play in China? Or Qatar? Or Turkey?
“Depending on your time scale, you could argue that every country on earth has at some point exemplified the worst that human beings have to offer.”
Where do you begin with this?
Pepperell acknowledges that Saudi Arabia has an “appalling” human rights record and asks whether it means “we should boycott competing?” Well, yes. He then launches into whataboutery in order to attempt to justify his threadbare principles and credibility. Yes, there are many contradictions of the past. His argument is, essentially, that as golfers did not have morals and principles in days gone by, there is no reason they should have them today.
And “Why do we play in China? Or Qatar? Or Turkey?” to which my answer would be ‘precisely – why DO you play in countries that have terrible human rights records? Stop and stop now.’
‘Ah, I hear you say. Why shouldn’t the likes of Pepperell earn a crust by playing in an islamic fascist state? Our government doesn’t care and, indeed, regards Saudi Arabia as a friend and ally, selling them shedloads of weapons. If it’s good enough for the government, why isn’t it good enough for golfers? Well, it isn’t good enough for the government to support such an evil, oppressive and aggressive regime, so I do not use their unprincipled actions in order to justify the actions of greedy, unprincipled golfers.
There are barely any spectators at the golf course but to my astonishment one or two of the few are actually women. Presumably, they are regarded as honorary men for the day and, for this day only, will become men, albeit they will not be allowed to wear shorts and T shirts like some of the men in attendance.
Today’s golfers are the Graham Gooch’s of this era, people who will take the money and turn a blind eye to major human rights abuses. By their actions, they effectively condone the head-cutters and oppressors of this evil state and no amount of protesting can change that simple reality. “I’m not a politician, I’m a pro golfer,” says world number one Justin Rose. Absolutely true, Justin. You’re a pro golfer who doesn’t care about what’s happening in Saudi Arabia as long as someone pays you. And I couldn’t think any less of you today.
