Netherlands officials forced to reinstate Dutch golfer Joost Luiten into 2024 Olympics after losing court battle
Dutch golfer Joost Luiten's perseverance has paid off, as he is set to be reinstated as part of the Dutch golf team for the 2024 Olympics. Luiten took Dutch officials to court after he was unfairly denied a place in the national team.
38-year-old Joost Luiten had qualified for the 2024 Olympics as per the criteria put into place by the International Golf Federation. However, the Netherlands Olympic Committee and Netherlands Sports Federation denied him entry, citing that he did not have a realistic chance of contending for the top 8.
The bizarre decision taken by the NOC and NSF was due to an internal rule put in place stating that male golfers must be ranked within the top 27 of the Olympic rankings to make the national team.
After failing to meet the criteria, Luiten, along with two other golfers, were denied entry into the 2024 Olympics. Luiten decided to fight for his place and took the NOC and NSF to court for an independent judgement on the situation.
Luiten managed to secure his place on the Netherlands team alongside one other golfer, Anne van Dam, who qualified through the internal criteria. Posting about the news on Instagram, Luiten said:
"The Olympic rings are colored again & I have WON the Court case and the @NOCNSF have to enter me before 5PM today!!! LET's GO @olympics Thanks @snijders.advocaten"
The NOCNSF will have to instate Luiten into the team before 5pm.
Why did the Netherlands Sports Federation deny three golfers entry into the 2024 Olympics?
Earlier this month, the Netherlands Sports Federation denied three golfers, Joost Luiten, Darius van Driel, and Dewi Weber entry into the 2024 Olympics. After all golfers failed to meet the criteria of placing in the top 27 (men) and top 24 (women) in the world, the NSF provided an alternative path for eligibility.
The NSF said that the golfers should have finished in the top 8 of at least one tournament with a strong field. Due to her runner-up finish at the LET's Tour Championship, Anne van Dam was able to secure her place on the team.
However, the three other golfers that did not qualify were heartbroken after the announcement. Here's what Dewi Weber had to say: (via Golf Digest)
"Our own country is saying we don't think you're worthy of being an Olympian, and you're not worthy of representing the Netherlands. And that, honestly, that hurts. We even asked them, 'Hey, is this about money? Like, we will pay for it ourselves. Our Federation will pay for it.'"
With Luiten's inclusion in the 2024 Olympics field, the Netherlands will now have one male and one female golfer on their national team.