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Dean Jones...

  • 08-08-2006 3:12pm
    #1
    DMC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,726 ✭✭✭✭


    As Morrissey once sang.... big mouth strikes again... what a twat. This has to be a career ending move for a third rate Aussie commentator...

    Dean Jones sacked after 'terrorist' remark
    Maintains he has 'no end of respect' for Muslim faith

    http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/slvrsa/content/current/story/255892.html
    Cricinfo staff
    August 7, 2006
    Dean Jones, the former Australia Test batsman turned TV commentator, has been sacked by his employers, Ten Sports, after being heard calling Hashim Amla a 'terrorist' on live television during the fourth day's play between Sri Lanka and South Africa at Colombo.

    When Amla, who is a devout Muslim, took the catch to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara, Jones was heard to say "the terrorist has got another wicket".

    "The switchboards of both Cricket South Africa and SuperSport, that takes a feed of the broadcast to South African audiences, have been jammed with calls from some very angry people," Gerald Majola, Cricket South Africa's chief executive, said.

    Shortly after Majola's statement was released Jones was spotted at Colombo airport where he made a statement to journalists. "I'm gone, I'm on the 1am flight," he admitted. "It was a silly and completely insensitive thing to say and, obviously, it was never supposed to be heard over the air. 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," he said. "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."

    Majola added that "this kind of insulting racial stereotyping has no place in cricket and must be stamped on swiftly. The ICC has strongly condemned racism and we will be discussing the matter with them."

    © Cricinfo


    Jones's remark was an off-air joke
    The television faux pas
    http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/slvrsa/content/current/story/255921.html
    Cricinfo staff
    August 8, 2006
    Dean Jones, the former Australian batsman, who has been sacked by Ten Sports, the Dubai-based channel, from its commentary team after he was caught on live television referring to Hashim Amla as "terrorist" made the remark in jest to fellow commentators unaware that the feed was live, Cricinfo has learnt.

    While there is unanimity in the commentators' fraternity that Jones had to go after being heard making such a politically insensitive remark, Jones did not make remark on live television, or at least did not think he was doing so, contrary to how it has come to be portrayed in certain sections of the media.

    "It was unfortunate," said a member of the production team, "it was daft of Jones to say what he did. But to be honest, it was said as bit of a joke, for his fellow commentators. It was a joke in poor taste, but he thought it was during a break."

    To Jones's misfortune, while it was an ad-break on Ten Sports, the moment Kumar Sangakkara was dismissed, SuperSport, who were beaming the match in South Africa, didn't take that break. And it was, Jones saying for anybody who was tuned in: "the terrorist has got another wicket".

    Ten Sports have issued an apology to the affected parties. A media release issued by the company said, "We have a zero tolerance policy for any expression of racial stereotyping and prejudice and condemn in the strongest possible terms the comments made by Mr Jones. We are reviewing our systems to ensure that such offensive and insensitive remarks do not happen again."

    Meanwhile Boundary Breakers, the sports marketing company representing Amla's business interests, have condemned the racial, cultural and religious stereotyping. A media release sent out by the company said that, "While it acknowledges Jones apology and remorse at making these comments, Boundary Breakers also commends television company "10 Sport" [sic] for acting swiftly in sacking Jones from further commentating duties during the test and one day series."

    © Cricinfo


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