The annual Tribute in Light marking the 14th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center shines above the skyline of Lower Manhattan in New York, September 11, 2015. | Photo by Gary Hershorn/Corbis via Getty Images
The 9/11 Families United organization slammed the PGA Tour for merging with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.
The 9/11 Families United, a community of family members who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, slammed the PGA Tour and Commissioner Jay Monahan for striking a partnership deal with the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Of the 19 terrorists who participated in the attacks, 15 were Saudi citizens.
The Saudi Arabian Kingdom has also been accused of human rights abuses, subjugating women, and murdering Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist.
“Jay Monahan co-opted the 9/11 community last year in the PGA’s unequivocal agreement that the Saudi LIV project was nothing more than sportswashing of Saudi Arabia’s reputation,” said Terry Strada, the chair of the 9/11 Families United.
“But now the PGA and Monahan appear to have become just more paid Saudi shills, taking billions of dollars to cleanse the Saudi reputation so that Americans and the world will forget how the Kingdom spent their billions of dollars before 9/11 to fund terrorism, spread their vitriolic hatred of Americans, and finance al Qaeda and the murder of our loved ones. Make no mistake – we will never forget.”
Strada lost her husband, Tom, in the North Tower on 9/11.
“Mr. Monahan talked last summer about knowing people who lost loved ones on 9/11, then wondered aloud on national television whether LIV Golfers ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour,” Strada continued. “They do now – as does he. PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed. Our entire 9/11 community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window-dressing in their quest for money – it was never to honor the great game of golf.”
Indeed, the PIF has invested almost $1 billion into LIV Golf.
With more than $600 billion in assets, PIF now partners with the PGA Tour, forever altering men’s professional golf in the future.
As a result, Monahan and the PGA Tour have received tons of criticism, as Tuesday’s announcement added salts to the wounds of those who lost loved ones on 9/11.
