Sky have suspended Sky Sports presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray following their off-air (but unfortunately for them) recorded comments regarding female assistant referee Sian Massey before the Wolves versus Liverpool game on Saturday 22nd January.
Who's laughing now?
It doesn’t come as much of a shock, to be perfectly frank, as what they said was clearly sexist:
Keys: “Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her.”
Gray: “Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don’t know the offside rule.”
Keys: “’Course they don’t. I can guarantee you there will be a big one today. Kenny [Dalglish] will go potty. This is not the first time, is it? Didn’t we have one before?”
Keys: “The game’s gone mad. Did you hear charming Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Do me a favour love.”
On Radio Five Live this morning was a woman (whose name escapes me at the moment, but she’s on the board of Wolves, is a big name in women’s cricket and knows Keys and Gray well, apparently) defending the pair, putting it down to banter. But Five Live played the audio clip and it didn’t sound like banter to me. It sounded like real exasperation at a woman, A WOMAN, getting involved at the top level of English football.
The comments are at best unkind and at worst bigoted. That said, in this day of knee-jerk reaction and over the top reporting while it may not be a surprise they have been suspended do they really deserve it?
There’s arguments on both sides. That sort of talk shouldn’t be allowed on TV, that’s for sure. But it wasn’t. It was a private conversation off air that was recorded and leaked. You might not LIKE what was said, but everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how outdated it is, including Keys and Gray. They should, in my opinion, be publicly vilified and professionally warned, not punished.
Of course, Sky can’t be seen to be going easy on them so suspension it is. What now for the cornerstones of Sky Sports’ football coverage over the last 25 years or so? Can they bounce back in the roles they have enjoyed so smugly for years or will they be fired and replaced? And if so, who with? Who can do the job as well as they have?
Your thoughts and opinions please!
v Everton
