Olesen ban lifted as sexual assault trial is delayed Ryder Cup star cleared for European Tour comeback
RYDER CUP star Thorbjorn Olesen will make his European Tour comeback at this week’s Hero Open after his suspension over a pending sexual assault case was lifted.
The Dane, who played in Paris for Thomas Bjorn’s victorious team, has confirmed his place at the Forest of Arden after officials opted to end his ban because of the delay in UK court proceedings caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
Olesen is due to face trial in December after an alleged incident that occurred on a British Airways flight from Nashville to London 12 months ago.
“While my team and I initially agreed that I would not participate in Tour events while the legal proceedings were outstanding, I am naturally grateful to the European Tour for allowing me to continue my career following the lengthy adjournment of my trial,” said Olesen. “Obviously the case itself is still on-going so I will continue to make no comment about it.” Olesen and the rest of the field will face the same stringent coronavirus restrictions as at the British Masters won by Italy’s Renato Paratore on Saturday, which means no Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston. He withdrew after nine holes at Close House and is unlikely to return during the six-event UK swing unless the Tour’s lockdown policy eases. “This bubble really doesn’t work for me and I’ve learnt to listen to myself. I can’t wait until things are back normal,” he tweeted at the weekend.
The only place players were allowed to go at Close House apart from the golf course was the tournament hotel and there was also a ban on socialising with anyone bar their own caddie.
It represented a sea change in the Tour’s culture but the key point was that there were no positive tests.
“There has been a tremendous amount of work over the last four months to establish all the new protocols and procedures, which have been implemented. To see them in operation at Close House has been impressive,” said European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.
“But we’re also operating under the guidelines of the UK Government and Public Health England so the protocols we have in place are based on their requirements.”