Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Report: Senators ask attorney general to review PGA Tour deal with Saudi Arabia

Written by 
Published in Golf
Wednesday, 14 June 2023 04:44

Federal scrutiny of the “framework” agreement between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia intensified Tuesday when a pair of U.S. senators urged Attorney General Merrick Garland to examine the deal for potential antitrust violations.

According to ESPN.com, the letter was sent by Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to Garland and Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter following last week’s announcement of the agreement, which has not yet been approved by the Tour’s policy board.

“The red flags regarding antitrust concerns are clear,” the senators wrote, adding the agreement, “raises an array of potential legal and regulatory issues, including relating to the PGA Tour's non-profit tax status and antitrust law.”

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), the chairman of the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a similar letter to Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman on Monday. The PIF owns 93 percent of LIV Golf.

Richard Blumenthal also claims the move by the PIF, which is controlled by the Saudi government, is an attempt at sports washing.

The letter from Warren and Wyden also claimed the Tour is enabling the fund and Saudi Arabia to “sportswash” its human rights record and referenced a countersuit filed by the Tour against the PIF last year that claimed, “LIV is not a rational economic actor, competing fairly to start a golf tour. It is prepared to lose billions of dollars to leverage [U.S. golfers] and the sport of golf to 'sportswash' the Saudi government's deplorable reputation for human rights abuses.”

“The PGA [Tour]-LIV deal would make a U.S. organization complicit – and force American golfers and their fans to join this complicity – in the Saudi regime's latest attempt to sanitize its abuses by pouring funds into major sports leagues,” the letter read.

Last summer, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Tour is being investigated by the Department of Justice for potential anticompetitive behavior toward LIV Golf.

Monahan – who is “recuperating from a medical situation” the Tour announced Tuesday – pushed back at criticism last week in a letter to senators, claiming the agreement was needed to end a long and costly legal battle with the PIF and LIV Golf. He also said the agreement was the byproduct of inaction by lawmakers.

“While we are grateful for the written declarations of support we received from certain [congressional] members, we were largely left on our own to fend off the attacks, ostensibly due to the United States' complex geopolitical alliance with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” Monahan wrote.

Read 83 times

Soccer

Bayern-linked De Zerbi: I want to stay at Brighton

Bayern-linked De Zerbi: I want to stay at Brighton

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsBrighton manager Roberto De Zerbi has said he wants to stay with th...

Pochettino demands 'stupid' exit rumours stop

Pochettino demands 'stupid' exit rumours stop

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMauricio Pochettino has called for "stupid rumours" around his Chel...

Pep: Foden primed to become one of City's best

Pep: Foden primed to become one of City's best

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsPep Guardiola has backed Phil Foden to become one of Manchester Cit...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Giannis: Wasn't nearing return before Bucks exit

Giannis: Wasn't nearing return before Bucks exit

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Despite trying to push himself to be available to the...

Sources: Clips look to lock up Lue with extension

Sources: Clips look to lock up Lue with extension

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe LA Clippers are planning to pursue a contract extension with co...

Baseball

Pirates activate Grandal (foot) from injured list

Pirates activate Grandal (foot) from injured list

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Pittsburgh Pirates activated catcher Yasmani Grandal from the 1...

Cubs ace Steele may return Monday from injury

Cubs ace Steele may return Monday from injury

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCHICAGO -- Cubs ace Justin Steele is just about ready to return to...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated