[Golf Topic] Soccer Star Bale's Protest: "What's the Problem with Golf?"

[Asia Economy Reporter No Woo-rae] ○…Soccer star Gareth Bale (Real Madridㆍphoto) has come out in defense of golf.

On the 27th (Korean time), he appeared on the podcast 'Eric Anders Lang Show' and expressed dissatisfaction, saying, "Many people say it's a problem that I enjoy golf," and "I don't know the reason at all." Bale, who said, "I also talked to the doctor, and everyone said it's okay," argued, "I don't understand the criticism from fans," and "Golf helps my performance." Bale, a former Wales national team player, is a representative 'golf enthusiast' in the soccer world.

During the league suspension due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), while soccer stars chose to do the 'Stay at Home Challenge' with toilet paper, Bale chose golf. Despite frequent injuries preventing him from playing matches, he played rounds and received criticism from fans. Last year, after Wales qualified for the Euro 2000 finals, he stirred controversy by holding a flag that read 'WalesㆍGolfㆍMadrid' during the celebration.

Bale, who said, "The media also view my playing golf negatively," added, "I know that in the U.S., basketball star Stephen Curry (Golden State) plays golf even on game days," and asked, "How is it different from me playing golf two days before a match?" He emphasized the advantages of golf, saying, "Golf allows me to take a break from soccer and reset my mind," and "I can focus more on soccer the next day feeling refreshed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.