Casey says he was ‘flatout wrong’ over Saudi
Paul Casey has explained his U-turn on playing golf in Saudi Arabia after saying he would be a “hypocrite” to tee up in the new European Tour venue.
The Englishman sat out the first two editions of the Saudi International, but is in the line-up for this week’s event at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.
“I will hold my hand up and say that the position I had two years ago was probably not the right position and that is why I am here,” said Casey, the newly-crowned Omega Dubai Desert Classic champion.
The 43-year-old, who is a UNICEF ambassador, added: “I don’t think I was that political before, but I took a stance where I did not el ti was torn. i am a father and I have got two kids, I have ties with Unicef, and i felt that it was not right for me to play.
“I have spent the last two years thinking about that a lot. I have learned a lot and read an awful lot and one of the things I was flatout wrong on, was with my Unicef ties because they are not a political organisation.
“Their focus is purely on looking after thevulnerability of children around the world and doing everything they can to save them.
“I was reminded that if you stay away, don’t engage, don’t talk, and don’t visit, then you are merely hardening the position and that doesn’t do any good.”
The Saudis have been accused of using sport to deflect from their human rights record, but Casey insisted he now felt comfortable playing in this week’s event. He said: “There is something called the Convention on the Rights of the Child and this country has signed up to that.”