LPGA Requires English for International Golfers
August 26, 2008
In 2009 the LPGA will require all players to speak English. Some members are facing suspension if they cannot pass an English Oral Assessment. The rule is effective immediately for new players.
The rule is being implemented, some say, because of the increase of Asian athletes. Currently, there are 121 international players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour, including 45 players from South Korea.
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LPGA officials held a meeting with South Koreans last week at the Safeway Classic to inform them of the new policy, but LPGA commissioner Carolyn Bivens has yet to give a formal written notice.
Deputy commissioner of the LPGA, Libba Galloway, commented to The Associated Press. “Athletes now have more responsibilities and we want to help their professional development.” Galloway said the LPGA is a “global tour and is not targeting any specific player or country” and that “there are more fans, more media and more sponsors. We want to help our athletes as best we can succeed off the golf course as well as on it.”
Professional Asian American golfer Angela Park believes the new rule is fair and positive for its international players. “A lot of Korean players think they are being targeted, but it’s just because there are so many of them,” Park told Golfweek magazine.
Kate Peters of the LPGA State Farm Classic said, “This is an American tour. It is important for sponsors to be able to interact with players and have a positive experience.”
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3 Responses to “LPGA Requires English for International Golfers”
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Another subtle descrimination in the journey for global unification? Or is it up to the hosting nation to set up it’s own rules and guidelines?
“All athletes must speak English” is a great idea. This means that all born English speaking athletes MUST speak English so we all can understand. This will be a tough road for most of the NBA, NFL, NHL,….to achieve given that they can’t speak English properly (coming out of US colleges?) What a shame. I guess we do whatever we can to exclude competition when we’re threaten.
Of course, LPGA has to remember that when their players go to non-English speaking nation/tours, they must be able to speak that language too.
It is truely a shame that the LPGA’s rules come in a time after the Olympics where it symbolies unity, not discrimination or the run of Barak Obama as US Preseident as a change for global togetherness. Conservative or fear…..???… Sports have ONE language -the language of the human body doing great feats.
Peace Out.
hust do it
If we allow sponors or organizations to pick and choose or have opinion about certain players, then we need to boycott those sponsors or companies’ business as well. We need to identify them.
Game is a game, it is universal language, like Olympic. Do we need the track and field or NBA basket ball players to understand English. Although most of them are but some of them from Spain, China and other places. Have nothing prevent them from performing their job. This is a sign of conservative and could be a passive exclusion.