Dean Jones Sacked After 'terrorist' Comment

[A.Rahman]

Former Australia Test player Dean Jones was sacked from his job as a commentator on Monday after referring to South African Muslim batsman Hashim Amla as a "terrorist".

Jones, who admitted making the comment and apologised, was on a TV commentary team covering the second Test between Sri Lanka and South Africa in Colombo.

According to a statement issued by Cricket South Africa on Monday, viewers heard Jones say, "the terrorist has got another wicket" when Amla took the catch that dismissed Kumar Sangakkara.

Amla is a devout Muslim who wears a beard for religious reasons and has successfully negotiated with the South African team's main sponsors, SA Breweries, not to wear the Castle Lager logo on his playing and practice gear.

"We take the strongest exception to this comment, and we will lodge an official complaint with the host broadcaster, Ten Sports, that employs him," CSA chief executive Gerald Majola was quoted as saying.

"We will be asking for his immediate suspension and a full apology."

The match is being broadcast live in South Africa, which has a significant Muslim community.

JAMMED SWITCHBOARDS

"The switchboards of both CSA and SuperSport, that takes a feed of the broadcast to South African audiences, have been jammed with calls from some very angry people," Majola was quoted as saying.

"I'm gone, I'm on the 1 a.m. flight," Jones told reporters in Colombo where he issued a statement apologising for his comment.

"It was a silly and completely insensitive thing to say and, obviously, it was never supposed to be heard over the air," Jones said.

"I am truly sorry to have caused offence to anybody and the last thing I intended was to be disrespectful.

"Everyone needs to get away from perpetuating the myth, publicly and privately, that beards associated with the Muslim faith are somehow suspicious, and I intend to do exactly that.

"The irony is that I am great friends with most of the Pakistan team and they are all Muslims.

"I have no end of respect for the Muslim faith - that's why I'm so sorry at making such a stupid comment.

"It does not represent who I am, how I think or what I believe.

"I will be the first person to apologise to Hashim as soon as I get the chance, and I will assure him that prejudice against anybody, on any basis, is unacceptable and not something I will ever condone."

The CSA statement said the incident would be reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"The ICC has strongly condemned racism and we will be discussing the matter with them," Majola was quoted as saying.

Jones, 45, played 52 Tests for Australia between 1984 and 1992 with a batting average of 46.55.

In April 2004, former Manchester United soccer manager Ron Atkinson resigned from his analyst's job with ITV after a racist comment he made about Chelsea's black French international defender Marcel Desailly was inadvertently broadcast.


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[Averroes]

These racists comments ruin it for everyone.

In Europe, racism still plagues football. In Netherlands they've had to change to law to outlaw any racism, in France they still taunt black players.

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Rather unfortunate.

I don't understand how such remarks can be made in a broadcast, that too, in sports.

Why only broadcast? Should not be made in any public gathering at all.

in France they still taunt black players

The best thing would be not to play in France.

But I reckon money can make the skin thicker.

 

[Spring Onion]

Rather unfortunate.

I don't understand how such remarks can be made in a broadcast, that too, in sports..

Sir sports had be made dirty by these racial remarks from some sick minds specially Cricket and sir its not the matter how much remarks are being made only one is enoughj to read sick minds.

Why only broadcast? Should not be made in any public gathering at all...

:thumbsup: on fourms also

The best thing would be not to play in France.

But I reckon money can make the skin thicker.

What about playing cricket in Australia and South Africa where the public is pathatically racial where indians are called Kullies and Pakistanis as Pakis .
we cant stop playing one by one in evry country thats wht they want.
the best thing is top bann such commentators and put a ban on arranging matches in such places so that they can have a financial pressuer

 

[Tiki Tam Tam]

Jana,

Many things can be done.

The only thing that come in between is Man's Greed.

Money can buy you everything but happiness!

Unless it is diamonds, right?

Diamonds are forever?

 

[Awesome]

Jones is a nice fella, and I have no doubt this was just a joke that got cracked a little close the the sensitive mic.

We've seen him with the Pakistani players, he's really great with all of them. Even his commentator colleague, Rameez Raja enjoys a few cracks with him from time to time on the air. That's how the commentator environment is, they crack silly jokes like that all the time, it doesn't mean anything.

It just went on the air by mistake. He gave a very thorough apology. Hardly one that Muslims get from far greater offenders. We should accept it and the punishment should not be anything more than a slap on the wrist. Suspension is already way too much.

I hope Hashim sees it that way too.

 

[Spring Onion]

That's how the commentator environment is, they crack silly jokes like that all the time, it doesn't mean anything.too.

Just like as silly as cricketers decribe women by silly points, singapoor, france

punishment should not be anything more than a slap on the wrist. .

he speaks from his wrist???

 

[melb4aust]

I am not sure whether he really meant it or not, but these kind of jokes are not the part of the cricket. You gotta have respect of the religion and especially when there is alot happening in the world, he should have refrained from such words.