Every evening at about 6.45 I watch the TV1 Sport’s News. Hayley Holt and Abby Wilson do a terrific job. They balance humour with news. They report serious issues without judgement. In my view, both are exceptional professionals.

I can’t say I feel the same about Andrew Saville. Tut, tut, tutting around the studio. He comes across as a pompous little prick. For example, last night he was clearly put out about the decision of Phil Mickelson and others to play golf in the Saudi-backed LIV league. Saville decided to promote this as an example of greed over principle. TV1 showed a clip of Mickelson being asked whether there was a country on earth that he would not play in, no matter what money was on offer.

Mickelson struggled to find an answer. So let me help him out. You see it would be hypocritical in the extreme for me to question the motives of these golfers. Not when I signed a contract with the Saudi government to coach swimming in Saudi Arabia for a year. I did exactly what Mickelson has done. The money may be different. The principle certainly is not.

So how do I justify what Mickelson and I have done?

The answer is two fundamental reasons.

• Show me a country that does not have corruption somewhere.  
• Perhaps we can bring about change.

Show me a country that does not have corruption somewhere

Good God, both Mickelson and I have been involved in professional sport in the United States. That’s the United States that shoots school children as a hobby. That’s the United States about to deny women the right to an abortion. That’s the United States that is stripping black voters of their franchise. That’s the United States that invaded Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and half a dozen South American countries. That’s the United States that has more of its citizens in prison than any other country on earth. And that’s the United States that since the year 2000 has butchered 942 people with needles full of poison. Surely, we couldn’t play sport in a civil rights hellhole like that.

What about Israel. Oh no, of course not. Israel murders Al Jazeera journalists. Israel enforces a system of oppression and domination against Palestine. We couldn’t play sport there.

What about China? We all went there for the Olympic Games. China must be okay. But no China executes more people than the USA. China’s treatment of the Rohingya people is appalling. China has decimated democracy in Hong Kong. We can’t play sport there.

I’m sure we are all planning to go to Paris for the next Olympic Games. But what about France? Can we go there? France ranks a dismal 34^th on the United Nation’s “Human Freedom” list. That’s worse than Hong Kong, the United States, Taiwan, Chile and Slovenia. No, we can’t play there.

I’m certainly not trying to defend the human rights record of Saudi Arabia. It is unspeakably terrible. But we do need to recognise that according to the United Nations Saudi Arabia has a better human rights record than countries like China, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, UAE, Russia and India. And yet Andrew Saville is quite happy for us to play cricket, ski, swim, play soccer or play rugby in those nations without questioning our values or subjecting us to an uninformed Salem witch trial.

I’m sure you get the point. If we started being precious about the human rights record of countries where we played sport or exported milk products and meat, the list of eligible countries would be very small indeed. Being as New Zealand is second on the United Nation’s Human Right’s list, Switzerland is the only country we can play with in clear conscience. Or at least that’s the gospel according to St. Saville.

And just one last thought on hypocrisy. If Saville was offered $100million to go to Jeddah to report on the golf, he’d be on an Emirate’s A380 tonight.     

Perhaps we can bring about change

Very few of us leave our moral compass behind just because we are working in Saudi Arabia. Sure, I obeyed the rules. I didn’t demand women join the Saudi swim team or drive cars along the Jeddah waterfront. I didn’t sit on the beach drinking beer. But where I could, I pushed for change.

For example, Eyad and his brother Yamen are Syrian and were not allowed into the government’s state-run swimming pool. I spoke to the boss, Mr. Ali, and arranged permission for them to swim. I used the truthful argument that their talent would help the Saudi swimmers improve. When I returned to New Zealand Eyad came with me and next week, he swims for the Refugee Team at the FINA World Championships in Budapest. His progress will not have gone unnoticed in Saudi swimming circles.

I asked for and was given permission for Eyad and his brother to park their car in the pool carpark. Because they were Syrian their cars had previously been parked out on the road.

And respect is important. Saudi Swimming had an arrogant white South African working for them. In a superior South African manner, he clearly looked down on Saudis and Syrians. On one occasion a swimmer drove this guy to the supermarket to get some lunch. They had to go to a couple of shops to get what he wanted. They got back to the pool fifteen minutes late for work. That evening the South African’s daily report to the Saudi Swimming Head Office contained a slating condemnation of Saudi work habits.

I was incensed. The following morning, I met with the South African and the swimmer. I told the South African that sort of behaviour had no place in my pool. He was being helped and should be thankful. He must apologise immediately. Those sorts of whites do not apologise to Saudis or Syrians, but he did on that occasion.

In a minutely small way, I am hopeful tiny progress was made. Mickelson with his higher profile is capable of much more. Done well, his presence can only be good for the progress of Saudi human rights. And then I wonder what he can do about the gun lobby in his own country.