BBC PUNDIT IS SACKED AFTER RACIST SLUR
THE BBC have axed a pundit after a racist rant in which he criticised ‘all the young black lads’ at Derby County and claimed they need ‘pulling down a peg or two’. Angry Derby defender Max Lowe, who spent last season on loan at Aberdeen, led the condemnation of Rams midfielder-turnedbroadcaster Craig Ramage and BBC Radio Derby, who also came under fire from equality organisation Kick It Out, first-team coach Liam Rosenior and former players of the Championship club. The BBC launched an investigation yesterday and said in a statement last night: ‘These were entirely unacceptable comments and we will no longer be working with Craig.’ Speaking on BBC Radio Derby’s
Sportscene show, following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Huddersfield, Ramage, 49, said: ‘When I look at certain players, their body language, their stance, the way they act, you just feel: “Hold on a minute, he needs pulling down a peg or two”. ‘So I’d probably say that about all the young black lads — the advice, if they wanted it, that, you know, when you are struggling for form, it’s about going back to basics, working hard and doing the right things.’ The station edited the offensive comments of former England Under-21s midfielder Ramage out of the podcast of the show. That move led to initial accusations that they were attempting to brush the issue under the carpet and came too late to prevent outrage. Left-back Lowe, an unused sub against Huddersfield, was deeply upset and his fury was shared by Derby team-mates. He highlighted the issue via a lengthy social media post slamming Ramage’s ‘archaic thoughts’ and expressing his initial disappointment at the station’s failure to condemn them. Lowe said: ‘Racial ignorance, stereotyping and intolerance negatively affect the image of impressionable young footballers and create an unnecessary divide in society. ‘As a professional footballer at a high-profile Championship club, I know that my performances will be scrutinised and I have no problem with that but I do not think it is acceptable to be judged by the colour of our skin.’