Brown is not racist, insists Dawson

THERE was further controversy yesterday when allegations of racism were levelled against a member of the R & A.

Graeme Brown, who is widely in demand in the UK as an after dinner speaker, made some unfortunate comments while addressing the annual dinner of the Association of Golf Writers on Tuesday night.

Several members of the audience were offended and the matter was duly raised yesterday with Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R & A. Dawson attended the dinner and was quick to point that it was a private dinner and that Brown was not representing the R & A.

“We know Graeme very well and I can say absolutely that he is not a racist,” Dawson asserted. “I have spoken to him and he is horrified at learning the effects and impact of some of his remarks. He accepts that they were ill judged and he apologises unreservedly to the chairman and members of the AGW for any offence caused. The R & A would not wish to be associated with that kind of thing.”

John Hopkins, chairman of the AGW, stated that they “regret the offence and apologise unreservedly to our guests and our members. We will make every effort to ensure that this does not happen again.”