Big Ron's Shock Racial Attack

Davey Devil

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/04/21/uron.xml&sSheet=/portal/2004/04/21/ixportaltop.html

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Football pundit Ron Atkinson has resigned from ITV Sport after off-air racist comments were broadcast on a Middle East sports channel following last night's game between Chelsea and Monaco.

He was heard describing Marcel Desailly, Chelsea's black defender, as "a f***ing lazy n*****".

The remarks, made to someone in the ITV studio, were accidentally broadcast on Arabian Radio and Television (ART) where the live feed had continued to run after full time.

Atkinson said: "I made a stupid mistake which I regret it left me no option but to resign. At the moment I can't believe I did it. It was just a moment of stupidity.

"I was very frustrated at the end of the game because I thought Chelsea could have won. I regret making the comments and I apologise to anyone I may have offended.

"If you look at my track record as a manager, I was one of the first managers in the game to give black players a chance."

An ITV spokesman said: "We do not in any way condone the comments in question, which were not broadcast as part of ITV's coverage but were made in an off-air conversation after the game.

"We have discussed the situation with Ron Atkinson, who is devastated and very sorry for any offence caused by his comments.

"He immediately offered his resignation which we have accepted."
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Edit: Yeah I agree he's not a racist but he still has to go for saying that.

Villain

silly boy.

I don't think he can be branded racist do because of one remark.

As he said he gave a lot of black players chances, Yorke and Dalian Atkinson are the first to spring to my mind.

Oh Davey Devil I think your meant to post your opinion as well as the article

Johnny_the_fox

if you go around calling the Black community -> n*****s ...

even if it is "a slip of the tongue"... you have wonder if he does use it more regularly..

TwoShedsJackson

He was most likely on a warning after what he said about Francesco Totti, which was also aired by accident. He's a stupid twat who won't be missed by me anyway, now if only Clive 'that night in Barcelona' Tyldesley would say something similar...

hoolio

Makes you wonder what else gets said off camera - no one would have cared (or pretended to) if it hadn't gone out live.

mike65

Now if John Barnes (Samual L Jackson style) had said the same of Desailly I wonder what the reaction would have been?

He's plainly was an idiot to say it, but is he a racist? No more than most of us I'd say - he just has a habit of shooting his mouth off (Ronglish) and getting heard doing so. If he were a racist I dont think he's have bought and nurtured so many black players...back when it was harder to do so.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/westmidlands/series5/black_flash_footballers.shtml

http://www.givemefootball.com/display.cfm?article=2946&type=1

Mike.

Xterminator

if you go around calling the Black community -> n*****s ...

even if it is "a slip of the tongue"... you have wonder if he does use it more regularly.. [/QUOTE]

Johnny i disagree.

Action speak louder than words!
Ron has shown he has no hangups about skin colour, throughout his career.

He's a passionate man, and his passion got the better of him.
(In a football kind of way obviously )

X

kida

I think it was a stupid thing to say and was not meant to be racist. Howerver it could be construed as racist so he had no option but to go. Can't see the Guaridan keeping him on either.

Put him on The Premiership with Dunphy - that would be a laugh. He will prob go to sky sports, weren't they after him a while ago.

Yavvy

you wonder if for all these years working with black people, calling them friends drinking and laughing with them...somewhere in the back of his head hes thinking "your just a Fùcking n***** ! ???

I am dissapointed in big Ron and I for one will miss him...but Im delighted he is gone for that remark.

Alan

bucks73

He had to resign but as most have said it was out of nature for him.

As for moving to another network, with ITV only having the Champions league next season both Sky and the BBC are a lot more atttractive.

_blank_

If he used the word off camera, then maybe he is used to using the word in everyday speech, just like anyone on here who uses four letter expletives in our everyday speech, if we were on camera we would probably "tone down" our language.

However, someone who uses a word like N, or anything like it, in their everyday speech, has to be questioned.

OK, so maybe you use the F word when your with your mates, but not in front of your parents, as a respect thing, but I know that if someone used the N word around me and my mates, then we wouldn't be very accommadating to them in conversation. If someone is going to use such bigotted terms about another person, then frankly their opinion isn't worth hearing.

Shred

Regardless of his track record with black players you certainly would have to wonder whether he is racist or not. I know I would never use the word personally no matter what the context. Big mistake, I don't see another network picking him up after this.

thejollyrodger

it is too heavy handy for such a comment. he isnt racist just a slip of the mouth. The player was a lazy Bas***d that night, but he shouldnt have mentioned his skin colour.

What a shame Ron is gone

cournioni

Its a real shame, for someone who has more or less brought black players into football in England to go out like that. The only way out that I can see for him is if some of his former players come out and speak for him. Maybe even Desailly himself, but that is not very likely. :dunno:

zAbbo

Im sure Big Ron was bringing in Black Players for the good of equality and not the fact that they were good and cheap. He loves a bargain.

Have you heard his reply to it, it was on the Lunchtime news, he makes it sound as if it was a moment of passion, his passion for chelsea and wanting to see them better. A non racist person just doesnt randomly call someone a ******, this was no moment of weakness on Rons behalf, and he has obviously being guided by some PR mogul as to what to do and say after this all came out, he`s resigned from ITV and his Guardian column.

Who cares, he`s an idiot

Dr. Dre

Shame, I think he's (was) OK.

johnor

Bring him back to dream team, they w ere the glory days..his acting is quality, wont be short of jobs for pantos...

Shaque attack

Originally posted by TwoShedsJackson
He was most likely on a warning after what he said about Francesco Totti, which was also aired by accident. He's a stupid twat who won't be missed by me anyway, now if only Clive 'that night in Barcelona' Tyldesley would say something similar...

couldnt agree more- those two have been the most annoying commentators for years ( and that includes the likes of Hamilton and Stapleton)

mr_angry

I'm quite shcoked to hear Big Ron come out with that sort of comment. Damn right he should resign, and all. Give him a year or two and he'll be popping back for some punditry on Sky though, once all the hullabaloo has calmed down.

jesus_thats_gre

You can't determine whether he meant the comment in a racist way unless you know the man. Granted, the word itself is historically a derogatory term but its meaning has evolved over time..

I myself have often walked into my mates gaff and said "watup niggas!" or something along those lines. Someone who does not know me could misunderstand my meaning and take offence while the people who know me wouldn't pay any notice to me.

As the man has introduced alot of black players into the game, I would give him the benefit of doubt on that one. I don't think he meant it in an offensive way to black people in general, I just think he was berating Desailly and he stupidly focused on the one thing that is different about Desailly to himself. Marcel could easily come back and call Big Ron a lazy fat bastard and very little would be said.

I am over simplifying it I know but the world is getting a little too PC.

_blank_

OK so, the man said Desailly was a

"a f***ing lazy n*****"

and people are supposed to think it wasn't derogatory.
Also, would you walk into a room full of black people and proclaim

watup niggas!

I think not.

edit/tidy up post

jesus_thats_gre

I think not.

I wouldn't in a situation where I was unsure whether or not the people in the room would understand my meaning.

I agree that he should have stood down and that a person in the public eye should be careful when using such words. I am just saying that I don't think he is racist deep down. But you would have to know him him properly to make that decision.

vorbis

i'd say it was a slip of the tongue. I don't think he was being racist rather that he was simply insulting Desailley and that word came to mind. i.e. if he was having a go at a white player he might have said something like pale bastard. I think the word ****** has too much emotion attached to it though.

johnor

Aye sure I didnt think RTE would take Dunphy back, but without him they aint half the craic. As stupid as big ron is, some of the stuff he says is priceless, Especially in this case. I'm sure he'll get another job, HA, he could be in line for the liverpool job eh?

john

Exit

Originally posted by vorbis
if he was having a go at a white player he might have said something like pale bastard.

Sure he would!

Dr Bolouswki

Glad to see Ron go - found his commentary absolutely terrible and terribly biased... looking forward to next year when MAtch of the Day will be back on the Beeb - Motty and Linekar and Alan Hansen - knocks Des lynham into a cocked hat...

therecklessone

He's a complete idiot and deserves everything he gets.

http://www.football365.com/features/f365_features/story_107580.shtml

The "transcript"...

Ron: "What in heaven's name was f***ing Ranieri thinking in bringing Veron on?"

Second, unidentified voice: "He'll get savaged by the press.."

Ron [in an increasingly animated voice]: "Oh and f***ing rightly so.

"And I'm sorry, but I f***ing think that f***ing Desailly is a cheating f***. That was wrong."

[Noise from crowd and interference momentarily obscures Ron's voice...]

"He's f***ing been gone for two and a half years! And instead of playing like an old man and saying 'alright I'll f***ing stay where I can't get exploited'...

"I've always thought that he has no awareness of danger.

"He is what is known in some schools as a f***ing lazy thick ni**er."

[Still Ron, but now shouting]

"That is a f***ing disgusting performance.

"Full marks to them though. They were f***ing different class."

smemon

this is completely blown out of porportion. big deal he said this, he didnt kill anyone or hit anyone.

i was watching skynews last night and it was the main headline!! the story about up to 3000 people dying in korea was 2nd!! im sure desailly isnt hurt that bad, he's a grown man for god's sake, he'll get over it.

if someone called me a lazy white b****** i'd get over it. he's sorry, regrets it and knows it was stupid. END OF! theres nothing more to add, the media are just filling pages with rubbish.

ella minnow pea

i agree that it was hyped up too much, but yeah he should have been fired, ya cant be seen to condone that kind of commentator. People are comparing it to lightly, he n-word has a lot of derogitory history, it's origins are in slavery, etc, it's hardly like calling him ginger or pale.

the only thing i think you could compare it to is calling an openly gay footballer (:rolleyes:as if) a "f***ing lazy thick queer"

as for sky news, whatcha doin watching Fox News UK

sure Becks' new haircut was probably given more coverage than anything else last week

Bungalow Bill

Poor Ron, he really is an old-school kind of guy, I don't think he meant much by it. I really wouldn't call it a 'shock racial attack'.
Guys like Carlton Palmer have come out and backed up Ron's character as not racist in any way, I think we should take his word for it.

therecklessone

Originally posted by Bungalow Bill

Guys like Carlton Palmer have come out and backed up Ron's character as not racist in any way, I think we should take his word for it.

[Repost from thumped.com]

Throughout Thursday, Ron went on every radio and TV programme that would have him to apologise for uttering a racist epithet after ITV's Tuesday night Champions League coverage. Sometime during the day, Ron was told he had lost his column in The Guardian. By seven o'clock he cut a drained, dejected, and angry figure. Being interviewed by a barely interested, unsympathetic Jeremy Thompson only made him worse.

Jeremy Thompson: Ron Atkinson joins us now. Good evening. Are you a racist?

Ron Atkinson: Am I heck, is like. Never in a million years.

JT: These sounded racist comments though.

RA: I’ve made an unfortunate choice of words, but nowhere in a million years could I be described as a racist.

JT: Do you use this sort of language a lot then?

RA: No. [Ron glares at the camera.]

JT: How did it pop into your head when you were in the studio?

RA: [interrupts] Listen, I’m not proud – well, I mean, I would guess you’ve done it yourself, made an unfortunate –

JT: I’ve not used those words.

RA: Well, I don’t know. Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t. All I’m saying is that my reputation will stand up as being one of those who has worked longer and harder with black players than anybody. I’ve given as many black players the opportunity to succeed in football as, I would say, anybody else.

JT: Many of those years would appear to have been a little undone by what you appear to have said.

RA: Well, maybe when the dust settles, people will start to realize that this was a very bad error of judgement of mine, outweighed by the number of things I have done for people.

JT: Ian Wright, the footballer, was on radio earlier saying that he had complained to Garth Crooks about the language you had used during World Cup commentary at some stage.

RA: That I said? [taken aback]

JT: Yup.

RA: That I said? [obviously reeling]

JT: Yup.

RA: Well, that’s news to everybody else.

JT: A lot of people have come to your defence, but they say that while you are not a racist, they can’t condone the language you used.

RA: [interrupts] I do not – listen, how many times do I have to tell you, I don’t condone the language I used. I was totally out of order. Now, I’ve said that.

JT: Are you worried that whatever apologies you make, you may be labeled a racist for the rest of your days?

RA: Maybe, but I think that people who have known me and people who have worked with me and people who know what I’ve done over the years would not agree with you on that.

JT: We have a number of e-mails. I’ve got one here from a lady teacher saying we’ve been trying to stamp out racism and here we are in 2004 only for comments like these to be made by people you expect better from, and she’s concerned that it’s not a good role model to many children.

RA: I’ve had phone calls from players that have played for me who have said “What’s all this about, Gaffer? We know the way you operate. There’s no way you’re a racist.”

JT: What does your future hold now?

RA: No idea. What does yours? Who knows?

JT: Will you stay in the public eye? Do you still want to be a broadcaster?

RA: We shall see.

JT: You’ve obviously made apologies personally to people. Do you want to say something now tonight to the player you appear to have commented on and to a broader audience?

RA: I’ve said, and I’ve said it many times, I’ve said it on your programme earlier today, to the people I’ve offended, that I was totally out of order. Now, is that not enough? [seems close to tears]

JT: We shall find out in the fullness of time. Ron Atkinson, thank you for talking to us.

RA: [Glares at the camera for several seconds]

therecklessone

So it seems Ron isn't getting support from every black player. Of course he never managed Wright.

Does anyone else think this would be easier to explain away if it happend on a football pitch? You know, heat of the moment and all? Its not like Ron can claim he was worked up because he has some involvement in the match, he's supposed to be there as a commentator, not as Chelsea cheerleader.

sleepwalker

You can't determine whether he meant the comment in a racist way unless you know the man. Granted, the word itself is historically a derogatory term but its meaning has evolved over time..

oh shutup. Ron Atkinson hardly goes around speaking in homeboy slang

Harry2001

I can’t believe anyone would defend the old dinosaur – he may not be a racist but he is a incredibly ignorant idiot

The PC brigade get up my nose as much as anyone but calling someone a thick lazy ****** is no slip of the tongue and is way OTT

MrJoeSoap

Big Rons fans have leapt to his defence...

talla

Sleepwalker calm it down there.