New York: A leading animal rights group has
dropped its plan to use disgraced golf champion Tiger Woods'
image on a billboard close to his residence after the
organisation was contacted by the lawyers of the golfer.
PETA planned to erect a giant billboard near the house of
the troubled sports star in Florida, which will read, "Too
much sex can be a bad thing...for little tigers too. Help keep
our cats (and dogs) out of trouble: Always spray or neuter!"
"We were contacted by Tiger's lawyers at IMG who kindly,
but firmly, told us we were not authorised to use his image on
the billboard, and would we desist. We agreed and have now
turned the focus of our campaign to Mark Sanford," a PETA
source was quoted by New York Post gossip section as saying.
Sanford is the governor of South Carolina who had an
affair with an Argentinean woman.
While the PETA problem seems to have been averted, media
personality, Howard Stern, is still organising a beauty
pageant for those women who have been linked with Woods.
The winner will get 100,000 and four women have
reportedly signed up.
The golfer disappeared from the public scene after the sex
scandal revealing his extramarital affairs exploded following
an accident on November 27 when Woods crashed his SUV outside
his Florida mansion sustaining minor injuries.
Since then, 19 women have been linked with him. Many of
them have come forward with revealing details about the
multiple affairs. Woods is now in a sex-rehab in the US
Last week, speaking to a roomful of his friends and
colleagues for 14 minutes, Woods apologised for his behaviour
and also asked the media to back off from his private life.
The golfer spoke of a sense of "entitlement," which came
from money and fame that allowed him to believe that the
normal rules of conduct did not apply to him.
"I want to say to each one of you simply and directly I
am deeply sorry for the irresponsible and selfish behaviour I
engaged in," he said, adding "I am embarrassed I have put you
in this position. For all that I have done I am so sorry."
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 26, 2010, 23:02