• Tourist firm owner says march an ‘unnecessary provocation’
The R&A has refused to condemn a “celebration of marching bands” which is staging a three-hour show in Portrush on Saturday before marching to an Orange hall.
Much has been made of the inclusive nature of this Open championship, which is the first to be held in Northern Ireland since 1951 because of the political and religious troubles. But when the Guardian asked Martin Slumbers, the chief executive of the R&A, whether he felt uneasy that a parade of marching bands including the Sons of Ulster would send the wrong message, he sidestepped the question – and pointed out that there were always things going on around the tournament that were “wonderful”.
Written by Sean Ingle at Royal Portrush
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/jul/17/portrush-march-open-championship-martin-slumbers-golf under the title “
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