A federal judge has ruled that LIV Golf’s financial backer, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and its governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, are not entitled to sovereign immunity.
In its ongoing lawsuit with PGA Tour, the PIF and Al-Rumayyan had argued they were not under any U.S. court jurisdiction as they were part of a foreign government.
The PIF had sought to dismiss a subpoena on the grounds of sovereign immunity.
- Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen, in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California, rejected the argument in an order that was made on Feb. 9.
- Van Keulen said PIF and Al-Rumayyan’s conduct falls within the commercial activity exception to the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act.
- The judge also rejected other arguments made by the PIF and Al-Rumayyan to avoid being deposed.
- However, PIF and Al-Rumayyan could be deposed in a place of their choosing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
