|
|
 |
AAJC Urges LGPA Sponsors to Withdraw Support
Calls LPGA English Policy Discriminatory
Asian American Justice Center Release
Washington, D.C. - August 27, 2008 - The Asian American Justice Center (AAJC) urges the LPGA sponsors to
withdraw support of the Tour until the English proficiency policy is retracted. The LPGA will
require all players to be proficient in English starting in 2009 and those who cannot pass an oral
evaluation of English skills face suspension from the Tour. There are currently 121 international
players from 26 countries on the LPGA Tour.
"This policy is tantamount to national origin discrimination, which is prohibited under Civil
Rights Act," said Vincent A. Eng, deputy director of AAJC. “The policy is an affront to our American
principles of diversity and equality. It is even more unconscionable that the LPGA is devolving to
past divisive and exclusionary practices of their sport following the successful closing of the
unifying Olympic Games."
"There is already a strong endorsement incentive for the players to learn English to increase
their global marketability," said Tuyet G. Duong, senior staff attorney at AAJC. "The new LPGA
policy along with their actions to have a special meeting with the South Korean players, smacks of
clear discriminatory targeting of those players."
“The game of golf has a long history of exclusion of minorities and women and they have fought
for years to be included in sport,” added Duong. “That is why it is shocking that the LPGA would
issue this policy, which is completely contrary to the spirit of inclusion that drives LPGA pioneer
women to continue breaking new ground in their sport. This will ultimately result in depriving the
audience and fans of seeing the best golfers in the world."
Readings of Related Interest
|
