Que retenir de ce papier : 9/11 Justice condemns New York City Mayor Eric Adams for approval of Aramco Series at Trump course

The 9/11 Justice Group is calling for New York City Mayor Eric Adams to denounce his support of the Aramco Series, which is set to hold an event at a Trump Organization golf course in New York. 

The Aramco Team Series, sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour, will hold its fourth event of the year at the Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point in the Bronx on October 13-15, city officials confirmed on Friday. 

Sponsor Aramco is Saudi Arabia’s official oil company and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) – which has been met with severe backlash – is its ‘presenting partner’. 

The breakaway series LIV Golf, which has caused controversy in the men’s game and an ongoing battle with the PGA Tour, is also backed by the PIF – the owners of Premier League soccer club Newcastle United in England. Even though both the Aramco Team Series and LIV Golf Series are linked to Saudi Arabia the two events are separate entities.

The decision to approve the Aramco Series event has been met with backlash by the families of victims of the 9/11 attacks.

Brett Eagleson, President of 9/11 Justice and son of John Bruce Eagleson, who was murdered in the South Tower of the World Trade Center, said Mayor Adams should not attend any 9/11 memorials until his office rescinds the approval. 

He said: ‘9/11 Justice is calling for New York City Mayor Adams, to stay away from Ground Zero and any and all other 9/11 memorials and events unless his office rescinds its approval of the Saudi funded Aramco Gulf Series coming to New York City in October at the Trump Links course. 

‘If the city cannot legally stop it then Mayor Adams’ office should make a statement to denounce their support of the tournament and take a position to offer the 9/11 community support.’ 

Although the Saudi government has not been directly linked to the 9/11 attacks, 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudi nationals. The Saudi government has denied any involvement in the attacks. 

The criticism of the Aramco Series’ presence in New York follows the intense scrutiny LIV Golf has faced in recent months. 

Players have faced criticism for taking part in the Saudi-backed tour due to the kingdom’s dismal human rights record, while detractors have also labelled the competition as ‘sportwashing’.

Journalist Jamal Khashoggi was assassinated in 2018 at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Turkey after criticizing his country’s government, and a UN special rapporteur and the CIA have since claimed Saudi crown prince Mohammad Bin Salman gave the orders for the killing. 

US President Joe Biden raised the murder of Mr. Khashoggi during a meeting last month with the Saudi Crown Prince, who continues to deny the allegations, while Saudi prosecutors have blamed ‘rogue’ Saudi agents. 

Former President Trump was also involved with the LIV Golf Series last month when he hosted the event at his Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. 

The series’ finale is also set to be hosted by the 45th President at the Trump National Doral in Miami in October. 

The 9/11 Justice group protested the Bedminster event less than four miles away from the course on the first day of the tournament last month.

Mr. Eagleson had also spoken out ahead of the LIV Golf event, questioning why the former President was putting the Saudis ahead of America. 

Mr. Eagleson told DailyMail.com: ‘We’re just absolutely appalled by this decision. We’re really upset and frustrated. We think that Trump’s decision to engage with the Saudis and, even worse, to have this tournament in the shadows of Ground Zero is horrifying. 

‘This tournament in being held in the backyard of where 750 people from the state of New Jersey were murdered. This tournament is being held less than 50 miles from where people are standing trial as we speak for their role in 9/11.’

He added: ‘I would ask him, knowing what you know about the Saudis and 9/11, why are you putting them before the families of those that grieved so much, why are you putting them before America?’

At the beginning of August, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman hit out against the criticism his rebel tour was garnering. 

The two-time Major winner questioned why only the LIV Golf Series was facing backlash, singling out the ladies’ Aramco Series. 

He said: ‘Why are they taking on professional golfers? Male professional golfers. The LPGA Tour is sponsored by Aramco. The largest sponsor of of women’s golf in the world is Aramco. But not one word said about them.’

The Ferry Point course, set to host the Aramco Series, has been a point of contention since a New York judge ruled it could continue to be in the hands of the Trump Organization earlier this year.

Former mayor Bill de Blasio tried to have Trump kicked off after the Capitol Riot on January 6 but a judge ruled that New York City offered a baseless rationale for canceling the Trump Organization’s contract to run the course.

The Trump Organization declared the Ferry Points Links decision a victory for the company and ‘a win for justice’ and New Yorkers.

In a statement to DailyMail.com, a spokesman said: ‘We would like to thank the court for its well-reasoned decision based on law and facts. As we have said since the beginning, the City’s efforts to terminate our long term license agreement to operate Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park were nothing more than a political vendetta. 

‘Former Mayor Bill de Blasio used his position to weaponize the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York City Law Department all in an effort to advance his own partisan agenda, score political points and interfere with free enterprise. 

‘This is not just a win for The Trump Organization – this is a win for the people of the City of New York and for the hundreds of our hard-working employees at Ferry Point. 

‘We are thrilled that we will continue to operate and manage what has been widely recognized as one of the most magnificent public golf experiences anywhere in the country.’ 

After Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol to try to stop the certification of Biden’s presidential victory on January 6, 2021, then-mayor De Blasio announced he was scrapping the golf course contract, saying Trump had engaged in ‘criminal activity’ by whipping up the rioters. 

Following the storming of the Capitol, the PGA of America also withdrew the 2022 US PGA Championship, one of the four Majors in men’s golf, from Trump’s Bedminster course. 

De Blasio seized upon that decision as evidence that Trump had breached what the city characterized as a contract requirement to maintain a course that could attract professional tournaments. 

The president’s son Eric Trump lashed out at the city’s decision at the time, calling it an example of ‘cancel culture’ and saying the city would have to pay his family firm $30million to make it go away.

Many lawyers and contract experts were doubtful from the start that the city would prevail.

The women’s Aramco Team Series was held in Spain last week where the Korda sisters dominated.

American Nelly Korda shot a 5-under 67 to make up seven strokes on her sister Jessica Korda and win the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour at the La Reserva Club de Sotogrande.