Golf champion Michelle Wie condemned remarks by golf pro Hank Haney about Korean golfers, calling the comments racist and sexist.
USA Today reported Haney has been suspended from the SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel following a request from the PGA Tour.
When reminded about the upcoming US Women’s Open, Haney said “Oh it is? I’m gonna predict a Korean.”
“I couldn’t name you six players on the LPGA tour,” he continued. “Maybe I could. Well … I’d go with ‘Lee,’ if I didn’t have to name a first name. I’d get a bunch of them right,” Haney said, according to the Post and Courier.
Wie responded with anger on Twitter. “Shame on you, Hank Haney,” she said.
“As a Korean American female golfer, these comments that @HankHaney made disappoint and anger me on so many different levels. Racism and sexism are no laughing matter Hank….shame on you. I don’t ever do this, but this must be called out,” tweeted Wie. Her comments didn’t end there.
Both Sirius XM and the PGA Tour joined in the condemnation.
“The PGA TOUR is committed to and proud of the increasingly diverse makeup of our fan base, not to mention the power and accomplishments of the game’s world-class, global players – both on the PGA TOUR and LPGA, whom we are working with more closely than ever before.”
“SiriusXM proudly covers and supports both women’s and men’s golf and the athletes that make them great. At the PGA TOUR’s instruction Mr. Haney has been suspended from the SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio channel. SiriusXM is reviewing his status on SiriusXM going forward.”
Haney followed with his own apology.
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