Golfer Phil Mickelson is under fire for justifying his business dealings with Saudi Arabia's government despite outright admitting the country's royal family "killed" Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and executed gay citizens.

He then described them as "scary motherf---ers."

Mickelson's justification for working with the Saudis was weak, and the criticism that came along with it was warranted.

But many sports journalists and athletes must also look inward and ask how their promotion and defense of the NBA and superstars making deals with China is any different.

Liberal icon Bill Maher recently made this point, calling out Olympian Eileen Gu, adding that comparing these countries to America is not a fair comparison or justification.

People that do business with oppressive and deadly regimes have to ask themselves what that country or group is really buying.