Sports analyst and former basketball star Charles Barkley indicated the United States should focus on domestic civil rights problems instead of chiming in on Saudi Arabia‘s human rights concerns.
Barkley, who is considering a post in the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf tour, said he finds it “funny” how myriad people who have been largely silent on domestic topics are suddenly blasting the golf tournament because of its ties to the authoritarian regime.
TICKETS FOR TRUMP’S LIV GOLF TOURNAMENT ARE GOING FOR AS MUCH AS $4,250
“All of a sudden they’re worried about civil rights in Saudi Arabia. That kind of gives me a chuckle. You don’t worry about civil rights here in the United States, but all of a sudden, when guys start taking money, they feel like, ‘I’m worried about civil rights in Saudi Arabia.’ It just makes me laugh,” he said.
Charles Barkley responds to Americans who criticize golfers for joining the Saudi-backed LIV tour:
“Why don’t y’all worry about civil rights here in the United States … before we worry about what’s going on in Saudi Arabia?” pic.twitter.com/2OmsH4vyDa
— The Recount (@therecount) July 25, 2022
The 59-year-old is eyeing a position on the LIV broadcast team, and he met with LIV chief Greg Norman to discuss joining. Barkley has given Norman until Thursday to present an offer.
The 11-time NBA All-Star is set to tee up at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster for LIV’s third event of the year. The event has been mired in controversy, with families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack disparaging participants for accepting “blood money.”
LIV has received at least $2 billion in financial support from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. Organizers of LIV, an upstart Saudi tournament competing against the PGA Tour, have been breaking out the big bucks to incentivize big-name golfers such as Cameron Smith to participate in their events.
Families of terror victims have pointed to allegations that elements of the Saudi government were tied to the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed 3,000 people. Last year, the FBI declassified documents from its inquiry on the matter.
“I don’t do with this selective prosecution — everybody picks and chooses. I just think it’s funny that they’re more worried about civil rights in Saudi Arabia — a place 99.9% of people in the United States have never been,” Barkley continued. “Why don’t y’all worry about civil rights here in the United States? Let’s worry about that before we worry about what’s going on in Saudi Arabia.”
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Groups for families of the attack victims, such as 9/11 Families United and 9/11 Justice, have decried former President Donald Trump’s hosting of the LIV tournament later this week.
The event is scheduled to take place from July 29 to July 31. Trump is also poised to host a second LIV event this year at the Trump National Doral in Miami from Oct. 27 to Oct. 30.
