“We’re suffering”: Dutch golfer breaks silence after being deemed ‘not worthy’ of the 2024 Olympics by her own country- #shameonyou
Dutch golfers Joost Luiten, Dewi Weber, and Darius van Driel faced heartbreak just days before the 2024 Olympics, as the Netherlands Olympic Committee decided to deny them their ticket to Paris. Despite qualifying through international criteria, all three golfers failed to meet the internal criteria set by the country's Olympic officials.
Anne van Dam is the only Dutch golfer that will be heading to the 2024 Olympics, as the other three golfers will be left behind. Luiten and van Driel will not represent the Netherlands in men's golf, while Weber will leave an empty space in the women's golf.
Speaking about the heartbreak, Dewi Weber said 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."
Soon after, Darius van Driel also broke the silence, speaking up in an Instagram post about how his dreams were broken. He put up a post with a caption that said:
"No Olympics for Joost Luiten, Dewi Weber and myself although we qualified. The @nocnsf doesn't have a clue about golf and it a shame we're suffering now. We're not going because of political reasons. Mistakes were made by the @nederlandse.golf.federatie for agreeing with the absurd demands on the national qualifications. A sad day for Dutch golf. #shameonyou #nocnsf #olympics2024 #dpworldtour #golf #nederlandsegolffederatie"
The golfers were denied entry into the 2024 Olympics because the women were not ranked in the top 24 of the Olympic golf rankings and the men were not ranked in the top 27. While van Dam also did not fulfill this requirement, her runner-up finish at the 2023 LET's Tour Championship was enough to ensure her a place on the roster.
This criterion was put into place by the Dutch Olympic Committee to ensure that only golfers that have a realistic chance of placing in the top 8 will play at the 2024 Olympics.
International Golf Federation condemns move by Dutch Olympic Committee to deny golfers entry to the 2024 Olympics
The International Golf Federation released a statement in support of the three golfers that suffered due to the rules of the Dutch Olympic Committee. Calling the rules unnecessary and unfair, the IGF said (via National Club Golfer):
“The International Golf Federation (IGF) is extremely disappointed for our three qualified athletes who will miss out on competing at Paris 2024 due to the decision by the Dutch Olympic Committee and Dutch Sports Federations (NOC*NSF) on Tuesday."
The IGF also provided the Dutch Olympic Committee with data to show that the golfers will, in fact, be able to contend for a medal. However, they went on to say that the Committee ignored all the extensive data that was provided.
“Unfortunately, unless the NOC*NSF reverses course, the use of this unnecessary addition to the qualification process – unique to the NOC*NSF – will now unfairly prevent these three athletes from competing in the world’s greatest sporting event, the Olympic Games.”
Golf at the 2024 Olympics will be held from August 1 to 10 at Le Golf National in Paris.