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A Staysure Tour pro has hit out at presenters on Sky Sports Golf wearing badges in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, branding them “pathetic”.
Gary Evans took to Twitter to vent his anger at the sight of Sarah Stirk and Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley wearing the badges on tonight’s broadcast of the Travelers Championship.
“So I just turned on @SkySportsGolf and saw their presenters wearing a Black Lives Matter badge! I’m utterly disgusted,” wrote the 51-year-old. “This is supposed to be a golf channel, not a political station! Are you trying to be trendy or something? You’re pathetic, all of you!”
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He doubled-down in a follow-up tweet, saying: “We’ve all spent the last few weeks watching the dregs of society rioting, looting and physically attacking the police for no reason.
“I’m sick to death of the media and their portrayal of what’s going on. People should take a lead out of Serena Williams book. She is class!”
The Black Lives Matter badges have been worn across Sky Sports channels since the broadcast of live sport resumed in the UK a fortnight ago.
The movement has gained significant global momentum and support since the killing of black American George Floyd by a white policeman in the United States last month.
Evans subsequently tweeted: “To be VERY CLEAR – Racism of all kinds is dispicable [sic] (and I (like the majority of normal people) are sick to death of the press stirring the pot. My heroes are Ali, Woods and Jordan. For me, they epitomise what it is to come from nothing and make something of yourself.
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“If Ali, Woods and Jordan has been from another ethnic background, they’d still be my favourite sporting heroes of all time. If you’re ignorant enough to judge a person by their skin colour, then you’ll never be someone I can listen to or respect ever. End of story.”
Evans has never been one to mince his words on social media.
He has previously criticised Eddie Pepperell and Tyrrell Hatton, as well as Lucas Herbert and Matt Kuchar.
Last summer, he blasted the behaviour of a local caddie he had on his bag during the European Tour Destinations Senior Classic at the PGA Catalunya Resort in Spain.
Evans would have played on the Staysure Tour this season. However, it was announced last week that the entire over-50s’ schedule has been scrapped this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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