Sports Broadcaster Apologizes For Using Hitler Image During Rugby Highlights
Image via Faiz Azizan / Shutterstock.com
Fox Sports has issued an apology after it broadcasted an image of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler during the show Sunday Night with Matty Johns.
Hitler was photoshopped in an image of a crowd during a rugby match as part of the National Rugby League’s initiative. Because spectators weren’t allowed during the matches due to the coronavirus, the NRL decided to put up cardboard cutouts on the seats to fill up the stadiums.
The black-and-white photo of Hitler was placed alongside Channel 9’s Richard Wilkins.
The program was smeared by social media users after the image went viral.
“The NRL has worked hard to change the culture around the league and it’s definitely improving so I’m disappointed that someone in 2020 would think Hitler jokes are funny,” a social media user voiced out on Twitter.
CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry Alex Ryvchin weighed in on the matter. “This sort of stupidity, the casualisation of Hitler, Nazis, and by extension their crimes, is what leads to swastikas being graffitied throughout our cities and school kids being harassed with gas chamber jokes,” he said.
A Fox Sports spokesperson responded to the criticisms and apologized in the next segment of the Matty Johns show. “The segment was in poor taste and completely inappropriate,” Johns said. “I acknowledge it was wrong and I apologize to everyone who is rightly concerned and offended by the segment.”
#BREAKING Fox Sports has tonight come under fire after airing a photoshopped image of Adolf Hitler as a fan at an NRL match on national television. The incident has been described as "sickening" by shocked fans https://t.co/uUoWjHD2UP pic.twitter.com/Toi9G87q4f
— Jewish News (@aus_jewishnews) May 31, 2020
Sickening. The NRL has really worked hard to change the culture around league and it’s definitely improving so I’m disappointed that someone in 2020 would think Hitler jokes are funny and try and dump them in it.
— Lucas Hainsworth (@HainsworthLucas) May 31, 2020
This sort of stupidity, the casualisation of Hitler, Nazis, and by extension their crimes, is what leads to swastikas being graffitied throughout our cities and school kids being harassed with gas chamber jokes. @FOXNRLLive & @MattyShowsFox should tell their viewers it’s not on. https://t.co/sCuhom5GbY
— Alex Ryvchin (@AlexRyvchin) May 31, 2020
[via Sky Sports, opening image via Faiz Azizan / Shutterstock.com]
