Former NBA Hall of Famer forward and current Turner Sports personality Charles Barkley has been a passionate supporter of LIV Golf despite walking away from negotiations to join the Saudi-backed tour in a broadcasting role, and it appears that won’t be changing anytime soon.
Friday, Barkley discussed the criticism that those who have been linked to the tour have received, saying that he is feeling “pissed off” about the backlash he and others have gotten.
“Some of this LIV stuff has really pissed me off, to be honest with you. People use a word like ‘sportswashing,’ ‘blood money,’ and that really pisses me off,” Barkley told Outkick’s Clay Travis. “These guys have the right to make money any way they want to.”
Barkley also claimed that many media outlets have “selective outrage” towards LIV Golf, stating that many don’t care about issues in the United States while being outraged by things going on in Saudi Arabia.
“I don’t like “selective outrage” as you grab your iPhone that’s made in China,” Barkley added. “You guys are killing me…I’m not gonna let you guys bad mouth these (LIV golfers). You’re selective in what you’re mad about. So that’s probably the only time I really got mad recently.”
Even though Barkley will remain with TNT, it doesn’t seem like the questions about LIV Golf are going to stop anytime soon.
Whether Barkley likes it or not, LIV Golf will be controversial given its ties to a government that has been involved with a number of human rights violations in recent years.
[Outkick]
