Rugby league player Christian Welch slammed Peter FitzSimons for his hypocritical attitude on Australian golfer Cam Smith joining the LIV Golf circuit, which is sponsored by Saudi Arabia.
According to reports, Smith is making $140 million from his move to the breakaway golf league.
The former Wallabies player and spouse of TV journalist Lisa Wilkinson criticised this as “blood money” in a recent essay.
FitzSimons recently featured in an advertisement for the food delivery firm Uber Eats, which Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is a significant stakeholder in, the Melbourne Storm prop said.
“You can make money (although indirectly) from the Saudi investment fund, but a golfer can’t?” Welch tweeted about it.
The same funds that LIV used to purchase Uber, Boeing, and Starbucks. When you receive a ride home or a coffee, are you complicit? Where does it end?
I don’t remember feeling the same fury against those businesses, but dare a golfer take the money being offered.
Recently, FitzSimons said in an editorial article for the Sydney Morning Herald that “in this sporting conflict, the only thing LIV provides is the billions they’re willing to throw out for “sportswashing,” to boost their image,”
What exactly does LIV contribute to this conflict, besides blood money?
Yes, it is difficult for anybody to deny $130 million. You could probably convince yourself of anything—or at the very least, say it—for that sum.
Poll
Do you consider Peter FitzSimons’ criticism of Cam Smith to be hypocritical?
38 votes in favour; 1 against
But Cameron Smith, don’t sign if you haven’t already. We all adore and are proud of you since you’re such a great guy. I say this not simply for us but also for you.
Since its creation, LIV, a circuit that competes with the PGA, has drawn criticism from those who contend Saudi Arabia is using the game of golf to “sportswash” its abhorrent record of human rights.
The oil-rich regime continues to be one of the most oppressive nations on earth for women and the LGBTQI community, regularly executing internal dissidents.
2018 saw the terrible murder and torture of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on the grounds of the Saudi Consulate in Turkey by a 15-man death squad dispatched by Bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia has invested $3 billion in the LIV Golf Invitational Series and will spend an additional $2.9 billion to support competitions in 2023 and 2024 in an effort to repair their reputation after the worldwide scandal.
WHO SPORTSWASHING IS?
The practise of utilising sport as a propaganda weapon to enhance the image of a country, business, or person is known as “sportswashing.”
Major international athletic events are often sought after by countries with a bad reputation for upholding human rights in the hopes that doing so would cover up their treatment of minorities and improve their diplomatic position around the globe.
Sportswashing also occurs when organisations or people with questionable pasts support sports teams or events in an effort to gain favour with their neighbours or the government.
Greg Norman, an Australian and former world number one, is the driving force behind the rouge golf league.
Twitter users praised the Welch for exposing FitzSimons’ “double standard” and for doing so.
One commenter quipped, “Christian Welch knocks out the Bogan Yuppie in Round 2.”
Imagine how much Fitzw***er would hate RL after this takedown by the peoples’ prop, another said. I doubt he can criticise it any more, however,”
‘Being knocked to the ground by a rugby league player! Oh my goodness, another person wrote.
However, not everyone shared this perspective; several social media users sprang to the columnist’s defence.
According to 9News reporter Mark Gottlieb, “it’s like saying you can’t criticise America’s war in Afghanistan because you had McDonald’s for lunch.”
Ultimately, FitzSimons retweeted his reply, which had just the word “Brilliant.” In response, one Twitter user asked, “Hey champ, are you going to react to the folks who have answered your tweet?” Or simply those with whom you agree? To be honest, it’s a little unjust to Christian Welch.
FitzSimons was criticised for publicly arguing with Aboriginal senator Jacinta Price, whom he was charged with intimidating because of her stance on the impending Voice to Parliament vote.
During an interview on the virtues and shortcomings of the contentious vote that might result in the establishment of a third chamber of parliament to comment on problems affecting Indigenous Australians, Ms. Price made it public that she believed FitzSimons “forced” his viewpoint on her.
Senator Price adamantly opposes the action, saying it will not do anything to enhance the lives of Aboriginal people, in contrast to FitzSimons, who is firmly in favour of it.
Senator Price claimed in a Facebook post that FitzSimons had “accused me of giving racists a platform but that wasn’t written” and subsequently informed the media that he was “aggressive,” “rude,” and yelled at her.
FitzSimons texted her and asked her to delete the Facebook post, which she did. FitzSimons vehemently refuted her accusations, as did his supervisor, who tweeted that he had heard the interview.
In their whole text discussion, the two fight over what transpired during the phone call and both claim to have witnesses.
FitzSimons wrote, “Senator, I encourage you to retract these defamatory claims, since you know it is rubbish.”
We yelled at each other, the senator retorted. You did accuse me of supporting Nazis, therefore I’d need a copy of the interview.
She said, “I remember I had to shout, as did my chief of staff who was there when you were on speaker,” in response to FitzSimons’ claim that “not a single loud voice on either side” occurred.
The Indigenous Voice to Parliament is what, exactly?
Anthony Albanese wants a body that would allow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to advise the Parliament on policies and projects that affect their lives to be established in the Constitution.
The Constitution cannot be changed without a referendum. To be successful, the vote will need to be backed by the majority of Australians in the majority of states.
“Do you favour an amendment to the constitution that creates an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?” might be the question posed to Australians.