Trump awards highest US civilian honour to Tiger Woods
Washington: US President Donald Trump on Monday bestowed Tiger Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, describing the golfer as "one of the greatest athletes in the history of sports."
Woods, 43, is only the fourth and the youngest golfer ever to have received the highest American civilian award. Calling Woods, "a global symbol of American excellence, devotion and drive," the president said, "Tiger's determination and work ethic drove golf to new heights of athletic competition and popularity."
In his remarks, Trump praised Woods as "one of the greatest athletes in the history of sports." Trump said, "we were in the presence of a true legend" who is "also a great person, a great guy". "We can't wait to see what's next, Tiger," said Trump, an avid golfer and owner of several golf courses around the world.
Woods choked up as he thanked his mother, his two children, his girlfriend and his caddy during the ceremony on Monday in the White House Rose Garden.
"You've seen the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, and I would not be in this position without all of your help," Woods said, who dominated the sport for more than a decade.
He won his first major in nearly 11 years at last month's Masters Tournament, a comeback that captivated the sporting world. Woods's Masters victory was his 15th major championship, during which he weathered a marital infidelity scandal that ended in divorce, a debilitating spine injury, an addiction to prescription painkillers and grave doubts about his athletic longevity.
Trump has long been a fan and recently, a business partner of Woods. He announced his decision to give the award to Woods in a tweet, after Woods won the Masters tournament last month, his first major title since the 2008 US Open, capping a remarkable comeback from personal turmoil and physical injuries.
Trump praised Woods' "relentless will to win, win, win". "These qualities embody the American spirit of pushing boundaries and defying limits," Trump said.
The president seemed particularly impressed by what he called "record setting ratings" on television. He noted that Woods has now won 81 PGA tournaments and the second most majors.
He also praised him as a "devoted philanthropist," noting, "That's how I first met Tiger." He added, "We are inspired by everything you've become." Woods was given standing ovation in the Rose Garden of the White House.
According to ESPN, Woods is the 33rd sports figure and the fourth golfer to be honoured with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. At the age of 43, he is by far the youngest living sports figure to be honoured.
The other golfers were Arnold Palmer, 74, in 2004; Jack Nicklaus, 65, in 2005; and Charlie Sifford, 92, in 2014. Sifford was the first African American to play on the PGA tour. Woods burst onto the professional golf scene in 1996 at age 20 and has won 15 Majors titles, second only to Nicklaus' 18 wins.
The Medal of Freedom is America's highest honour for civilian accomplishment. President Truman first established the medal to honour extraordinary civilian accomplishments related to World War II. President Kennedy re-established the medal by executive order in 1963.
Presidents can award the medal of freedom to any person, living or dead, who has made "an especially meritorious contribution" to the security or national interest of the United States, world peace, or to a significant public or private endeavour.
Presidents typically award the medal of freedom in groups during public ceremonies. It cannot be revoked. Notable past recipients include Walter Cronkite, Chuck Yeager, Colin Powell, Bill Gates, Muhammad Ali, Hank Aaron, and Warren Buffett.
In November 2018, President Trump awarded the Medal of Freedom to Roger Staubach, Miriam Adelson, Babe Ruth, and Elvis Presley, among others.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
