by RobRoyal »
24 Jan 2011 14:52
Schards#2 I think having that conversation is a little unprofessional and I actually think what they were saying was largely bollox. however, no one and I mean no one, can honestly say they have not had a conversation amongst freinds that they would be hugely embarrassed by were it to be put in the public domain.
But it wasn't "a conversation between friends." It was a conversation at the workplace, albeit with the mics turned off. I wouldn't be surprised to be reprimanded at my place of work if I was sounding off with racist or sexist rubbish.
rhroyal Svlad Cjelli It's interesting that Sky are considering their position, wheras Atkinson was out on his ear alomost immediately. So that means sexism is less of an offence than racism.
It's not really in the same league as calling Desailly a "fcuking lazy nigger". I'm sure if they'd thrown out a couple of words like "slag" or "slut" they'd be out by now.
I'm torn about this. My initial feeling was the same as rhroyal's - the racial epithet that Atkinson used was the main cause of offence, and there's no equivalent here. But then, what Keys and Gray have said is that a woman is incapable of doing the assistant ref job because of her gender. What would have happened if Atkinson had said that, as a black player, Desailly was bound to be a rubbish footballer, and that someone at Chelsea had "f*cked up big time" by signing a black player? I think he would have been sacked just the same. Sky won't do it, but I think they should probably go.