Dean Jones Sacked After 'Terrorist' Remark

[Tooj 17]

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/slvrsa/cont...ory/255892.html

 

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."

 

Thought i'd post a pic up of him in Durham's colours.

 

[Lazarus 0]

Jones was heard to say "the terrorist has got another wicket".[/b]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[adios 717]

What a mong!

 

Doesn't necessarily make him a racist, like.

[Gemmill 46564]

I quite liked him as a pundit type on Sky. Wonder if he'll get any work for Sky or if that's his punditry career over. What an idiot though if that's the end of a nice little earner from watching cricket for the sake of a daft comment like that.

[Meenzer 15789]

Give him two years and he'll be learning Arabic on a BBC2 reality show.

[Tom 14021]

 

 

what a plum

[Guest alex]

Heard about this on Radio 5 yesterday. Agree with Dotbum's comments tbh. Silly twat.

Edit: Dean Jones that is

Edited August 8, 2006 by alex

[snakehips 0]

I'm available! Watching cricket and getting paid for it....nice

[Jimbo 175]

That ball might be an explosive device.....