“I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed I have put you in this position. For all I have done, I am so sorry. I have a lot to atone for. I want to say to each of you simply and directly: I am deeply sorry for the irresponsible and selfish behaviour I engaged in. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and my children. I have let you down. I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behaviour has been a personal disappointment. For those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown immense grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise not blame. The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behaviour.
I was unfaithful, I had affairs, I cheated. What I did was not acceptable and I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong but I convinced myself that normal rules did not apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by – I thought I could get away with everything I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I did not have to go far to find them. . .
I was wrong, I was foolish, I don’t get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself, I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me. I have had a lot of time to think about what I have done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It is now up to me to make amends and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I have made. It is up to me to start living a life of integrity. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count.
Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them I am truly sorry. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words. It will come from my behaviour over time. We have a lot to discuss. I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behaviour more respectful of the game. It’s hard to admit that I need help, but I do. I have a long way to go but I am taking my first steps in the right direction. I owe it to my family to become a better person – I owe it to those close to me to become a better man. That is what my focus will be. I have a lot of work to do and I intend to commit myself to doing it. I need to regain my balance and be centred so that I can save the things that are the most important to me – my marriage and my children. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again.”
Well. . .
Photocredit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images
Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.
