Sky Sport’s presenters forced to apologise over ’sexist comments’ during football match
By ANIMonday, January 24, 2011
LONDON - Sky Sports host Richard Keys and his co-host Andy Gray were forced to apologise for their sexist comments aimed at a lineswoman during Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Wolves, when the duo said women “don’t know the offside rule.”
“The comments reported today are not acceptable. They were not made on air but we have spoken to Richard and Andy and told them our views and they have apologised and expressed their regret,” the Daily Mail quoted a spokesman for Sky Sports, as saying.
Both of them had questioned the capability and knowledge of Sian Massey, an assistant referee, about the rules of the match. They also mocked at Massey’s judgement as wrong, but hours later, a TV replay proved she judged one of the most contentious moments of the game correctly when she ruled Liverpool’s Raul Meireles was not offside in the build-up to their first goal in a 3-0 victory.
The paper quoted Keys as jokingly saying: “Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her,” and then the Glasgow-born former striker Gray replied: “Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don’t know the offside rule.”
Keys replied to Gray’s assessment as saying: “Course they don’t. I can guarantee you there will be a big one (offside call) today. Kenny (Dalglish, Liverpool’s manager) will go potty. This isn’t the first time, is it? Didn’t we have one before?”
They also discussed about West Ham United executive Karren Brady, the Apprentice star known as ‘Football’s First Lady’, in a disparaging manner.
Keys referred to Brady’s newspaper column, telling Gray: “The game’s gone mad. Did you hear charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Do me a favour, love.”
Brady, who become the professional game’s first female managing director in 1993, branded the comments ‘utterly unacceptable’.
“I think this just sums up everything I said in my column.Leaving my own situation aside, it’s utterly unacceptable that a debate should be made about a female official’s ability based only on her sexuality.” she added. (ANI)
