Sep 6, 2008

Golf association rescinds rule

Sen. Yee spearheaded effort to see language penalty policy overturned

By Kyveli Diener / Bay Area News Group

With 121 international golfers representing 26 countries and events held around the world, the Ladies Professional Golf Association is known to be a diverse, intercontinental organization. However, a proposed penalty policy could have kept some of the best golfers from playing if they lacked English language skills.

With two tournaments scheduled in the Bay Area in October, state Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Mateo, rallied 50 organizations and petitioned California's Democratic senators to oppose the policy, which would suspend players if they failed an oral English exam. After a week of such efforts, the LPGA rescinded the penalty policy Friday.

"I do have to commend the LPGA for at least having the wisdom to rescind that particular policy," Yee said. "The rule was the wrong one. In 2008, you would've thought that any professional organization would understand the issues of diversity ... (and) multiculturalism."

Yee circulated a letter to the democratic senators in California and worked with many organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union and various cultural rights and women's groups, to get the policy rescinded.

He said this "made it very clear that this behavior is not welcome here in California."

State Farm Insurance, a major sponsor of the LPGA, also expressed disapproval for the policy.

Though a spokesperson for the LPGA was not immediately available for comment, Commissioner Carolyn Bivens released a statement Friday rescinding the current policy and describing plans for a new policy, which will still require international players to have a basic understanding of the English language.

"The LPGA received valuable feedback from a variety of constituents regarding the recently announced penalties attached to our effective communications policy," she said. "After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every tour player."

While the new policy will not include playing penalties, players could still be fined for an inability to communicate in English. Yee is investigating whether the policy violates any state or federal laws concerning discrimination in the workplace or discrimination on the basis of disabilities, according to Yee spokesman Adam Keigwin.

"While the pressure is off for the time being, I'm going to stay on top of this issue to see what (the new) policy will look like," Yee said. "It cannot be discriminatory. It cannot penalize women golfers only because they don't speak English."



The Associated Press contributed to this report.