Golf Tour Tells Players They Must Speak English

The LPGA tour, the leading tour in women's golf, last night stood accused of infringing the rights of many of its members after introducing a rule stipulating that players who cannot communicate in English will be suspended.

The tour is believed to be the first in professional sport to introduce an examination in oral English for its members. "For an athlete to be successful in the sports entertainment world we live in, they need to be great performers on and off the course, and being able to communicate effectively with sponsors and fans is a big part of this," said the LPGA's deputy commissioner Libba Galloway.

Currently, the LPGA tour includes 121 players from 26 different countries. Of thoses, 45 are from South Korea - and it is those who are believed to be a particular target of the new rules.

While the likes of Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa have been the most successful players on the tour in recent years, the Korean influence has grown, with its nationals regularly winning events - a trend that has helped the LPGA's profile in the Far East but which, it is widely assumed, damaged its commercial appeal in the US. "Being a US-based tour, and with the majority of our fan base, pro-am contestants, sponsors and participants being English speaking, we think it is important for our players to effectively communicate in English," Galloway said.

The LPGA's Korean contingent was told of the new rule at a meeting with tour officials last week. "We agree we should speak some English," said long-time LPGA member Se Ri Pak, although she said a fine would be a more reasonable penalty than a suspension. "When you win, you should give your speech in English. Mostly what comes out is nerves. Totally different language in front of camera. You're excited and not thinking in English."

But if Korea's most famous female player was broadly supportive, some civil liberties activists in the US claimed a language requirement could violate state law. "Florida law prohibits discrimination in public accommodations," said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union in Florida. "They may well violate Florida discrimination laws because language is a key element of person's national origin. People should be judged on their ability to perform a job. English fluency has no more to do with the ability to play 18 holes of golf than whether you walk 18 holes or ride 18 holes."