Sky Sports presenters making sexist comments

Stheno · 25-01-2011 12:42am

Richard Keys has phoned Sian Massey and Apologised

But the news article linked above, now reports that there was some discussion about her which was not appropriate either. (I've not posted the full article as it's a repeat of my quote above.

I imagine that Sky are essentially treating it as sexism and using their internal disciplinary code to deal with it. They were fairly blatant.

Ian Dovaston, sports correspondent
Sky Sports presenter Richards Keys has apologised to assistant referee Sian Massey for the sexist comments he made about her.

Keys and co-presenter Andy Gray were dropped from Monday night's programme after the off-camera comments about Ms Massey were captured on their microphones.

A Professional Game Match Officials spokesperson confirmed that Keys had telephoned the official and apologised.

The apology was accepted, Sky News understands.

It has been made clear to each of them that their comments were totally unacceptable.

Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis

Gray was also caught discussing Ms Massey in an interview pre-amble, during which her appearance is referred to.

A reporter described her as a "bit of a looker", referring to comments made by another team member.

"He says she is alright," the reporter added. "Now I don't know if I should trust his judgement on that?"

Gray replied: "Nah, I wouldn't. I definitely wouldn't."
Sky Sports managing director Barney Francis said the pair were removed from Monday night's programme because their comments were "totally unacceptable".

amiable · 25-01-2011 12:46am

ztoical wrote: »

Because they acted unprofessional and most likely in breach of the contract they signed with their employer regarding their conduct while in work they deserve to be punished by their employer.

You seem to imply that i think they shouldn't be punished.
Where have i suggested that?

ztoical · 25-01-2011 12:51am

amiable wrote: »

You seem to imply that i think they shouldn't be punished.
Where have i suggested that?

Were did I say you suggested that?

You described it as 'strange' they were being punhished because they have no brains. simply pointing out that it's not strange as nearly every company would have a conduct code for employees which would have been outlined in their contract.

amiable · 25-01-2011 12:53am

ztoical wrote: »

Were did I say you suggest that?

You described it as 'strange' they were being punhished because they have no brains. simply pointing out that it's not strange as nearly every company would have a conduct code for employees which would have been outlined in their contract.

Surely if you had no brain you wouldn't be able to follow the terms of your contract?

amiable · 25-01-2011 12:54am

ztoical wrote: »

Were did I say you suggested that?

You described it as 'strange' they were being punhished because they have no brains. simply pointing out that it's not strange as nearly every company would have a conduct code for employees which would have been outlined in their contract.

By you telling me they deserve to be punished implies i disagree

tasha200 · 25-01-2011 12:59am

Football?? Sexism?? lol heave forbid....
Think this whole bunch of crap puts the womans movement back by a few years...
Instead of 'us' worried about being taken seriously as sportswoman, footballers, whatever, the male dominated media is making a big deal about two guys talking ****.. so what... if they wanna talk **** off air thats their business, they have every right too.. and while they are at it why not explain the offside rule to the bunch of women who parade themselves around with the footballers.... what a joke.. they didnt offend me, infact they should release a book, a full dissertation, aimed at women, to explain the offside rule...
and wtf is she doing there anyway, a disservice to all womankind by allowing herself to be there, as an officiate in a game that only welcomes her species as a handbag shoewearing dip****...
She did herself a diservice by officiating a sport where she is not welcome... premiership football... xxx

amiable · 25-01-2011 1:01am

tasha200 wrote: »

Football?? Sexism?? lol heave forbid....
Think this whole bunch of crap puts the womans movement back by a few years...
Instead of 'us' worried about being taken seriously as sportswoman, footballers, whatever, the male dominated media is making a big deal about two guys talking ****.. so what... if they wanna talk **** off air thats their business, they have every right too.. and while they are at it why not explain the offside rule to the bunch of women who parade themselves around with the footballers.... what a joke.. they didnt offend me, infact they should release a book, a full dissertation, aimed at women, to explain the offside rule...
and wtf is she doing there anyway, a disservice to all womankind by allowing herself to be there, as an officiate in a game that only welcomes her species as a handbag shoewearing dip****...
She did herself a diservice by officiating a sport where she is not welcome... premiership football... xxx

Newsflash.... Maybe she enjoys it?

Stheno · 25-01-2011 1:08am

tasha200 wrote: »

Football?? Sexism?? lol heave forbid....
Think this whole bunch of crap puts the womans movement back by a few years...

I'd disagree with that tbh, if the two of them hadn't behaved as they had, and had it not been made public afterwards, I'd never have known there were any professional female referees involved in the Premier League, nor that the FA have over 850 female referees involved in the sport at different levels in the UK. I wouldn't have thought there were any female referees at all until yesterday

but then tbh I tend not to follow football.

tasha200 · 25-01-2011 1:17am

amiable wrote: »

Newsflash.... Maybe she enjoys it?

most probably she does, and has enough of a thick skin to ignore all the pointless pc ****e in the media, a big deal out of what, taking the piss.. people are being blown up in the world, and commentators commentate, and as far as I am aware, we can all have a banter and talk off the cuff without being villanised and without it hitting the headlines like, all I meant was it is a whole lot of boring tripe.. pointless in the extreme... This kind of stuff means we will all have to cough, clear our throat and have a good think before we speak..
I meant it puts the womans movement back in that it make it a movement of political correctness.. whereby everyone has to write down what they are going to say, off record, proof read it, edit it, pass it on to any minorities etc. before it is actually said.. which makes life sh i te.....
I am sure the woman is question is good at her job... If she takes offence at what was said, then she is most definately in the wrong job.. Political correctness taken to the extreme is censorship in its worst form.. x

Stheno · 25-01-2011 1:29am

tasha200 wrote: »

most probably she does, and has enough of a thick skin to ignore all the pointless pc ****e in the media, a big deal out of what, taking the piss.. people are being blown up in the world, and commentators commentate, and as far as I am aware, we can all have a banter and talk off the cuff without being villanised and without it hitting the headlines like, all I meant was it is a whole lot of boring tripe.. pointless in the extreme... This kind of stuff means we will all have to cough, clear our throat and have a good think before we speak..
I meant it puts the womans movement back in that it make it a movement of political correctness.. whereby everyone has to write down what they are going to say, off record, proof read it, edit it, pass it on to any minorities etc. before it is actually said.. which makes life sh i te.....
I am sure the woman is question is good at her job... If she takes offence at what was said, then she is most definately in the wrong job.. Political correctness taken to the extreme is censorship in its worst form.. x

I think the point being made here is that these comments were made by people in a "professional" environment, regardless of whether or not they thought the microphones were switched off. Such behaviour would not be tolerated in most, if not all professional environments in this day and age.

Just on an unrelated note, I've found your two posts quite difficult to read. If you could use some full stops and paragraphs it would make it easier, thanks

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 1:37am

It's utterly bizarre that a couple of people who have chosen a career in the media being hauled up by the boot-straps for failing to able to carry on a coherent conversation that doesn't involve crass sexism and dismissing a football officiate and a female involved at board level purely based on their gender has been dismissed as ridiculous and PC gone mad.

Perhaps we should just let those handsomely paid to be a media representative ride rough-shot over minorities and different nationalities, lest it all become PC madness and we have to think that we're not insulting or clearly being offensive before speaking....or civilised society as it's known everywhere else.

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 1:48am

amiable wrote: »

I agree it was a stupid thing to say. They've said sorry. There's worse things happening. Because they have no brains they deserve to be punished? Strange

Strange? Really? If you start calling names and being offensive in your work environment, would the fact it's clearly a stupid thing to say and the fact that there are worse things happening in the world going to prevent disciplinary action being taken against you? And you find that strange? Not sure what kind of special pleading you're asking for/expecting here?

Let's be quite clear, there are only two people to blame for what's going on - and that's the two muppets that saw fit to come out with the kind of statements that are always going to be shit-storm gold-dust. School-boy stuff. Trying to turn it around to blame the females they insulted or the media for making a story out of it is just a sad deflection tactic.

WesternNight · 25-01-2011 1:52am

tasha200 wrote: »

If she takes offence at what was said, then she is most definately in the wrong job..

What?

She shouldn't be offended even though her ability to do her job was being called into question (before the match had even started ffs) purely on the basis of her sex? People shouldn't complain about it or be angry about it? We're all just pandering to the PC-brigade?

I always find it a bit disheartening when something like this happens and far too many people seem to not understand that attitudes like Keys' and Gray's are all too common in every day life and believe it or not women are dealing with it on a daily basis in one way or another and it IS an issue. Nothing to do with being PC, or feminist, or whatever else. That's just the reality. It's sad that a lot of people don't seem to get that.

PeakOutput · 25-01-2011 2:08am

amiable wrote: »

Build a bridge and get over it

i was never under it thanks and i never said they should lose their jobs, quite the opposite in fact

amiable · 25-01-2011 10:09am

PeakOutput wrote: »

i was never under it thanks and i never said they should lose their jobs, quite the opposite in fact

Show me the quote where i said you said they should lose their jobs?
I bet you can't
And you don't have to be under a bridge to get over it. What a silly statement to make.
Because yes before i travel over a bridge i go under it first, don't be silly

amiable · 25-01-2011 10:13am

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Strange? Really? If you start calling names and being offensive in your work environment, would the fact it's clearly a stupid thing to say and the fact that there are worse things happening in the world going to prevent disciplinary action being taken against you? And you find that strange? Not sure what kind of special pleading you're asking for/expecting here?

Let's be quite clear, there are only two people to blame for what's going on - and that's the two muppets that saw fit to come out with the kind of statements that are always going to be shit-storm gold-dust. School-boy stuff. Trying to turn it around to blame the females they insulted or the media for making a story out of it is just a sad deflection tactic.

No by suggesting someone has no brain you are suggesting someone has a disability and by doing that you are suggesting punishing someone because of their disability.
Where did i plead?

LittleBook · 25-01-2011 10:51am

The most disappointing thing about this incident for me is that it's drawn attention away from the fact that a 25-year-old (rare that someone that age does this job) woman (even rarer!) is working as a linesman [sic] at a premier league match.

She called a tough decision perfectly. She is a credit to herself and her employers who hired her because they believe she's capable of doing the job well.

But next time she makes a close call, can commentators be honest about it? Or will they worry that they can't criticise her because she's a woman?

Gray and Keys have done the game and all involved a huge disservice.

And I love that they assumed Dalglish would agree with them when he didn't even notice there was a woman running the lines and couldn't have cared less ... which is as it should be.

panda100 wrote: »

Wow I can't believe Sky Sports made such a progressive move!

I haven't spoke to one person yet who can stand either of them to be honest. Maybe if they'd been more popular, Sky would have taken a different approach.

amiable · 25-01-2011 11:03am

LittleBook wrote: »

I haven't spoke to one person yet who can stand either of them to be honest. Maybe if they'd been more popular, Sky would have taken a different approach.

Agreed. I think its been blown out of proportion considering the amount of people who dislike this duo anyway.
Agreed also with your earlier sentiment also.
Fair play to the girl in question. She did a great job on saturday.
As an avid football fan myself if she had done a bad job on saturday i would have been inclined to blame her age rather than anything else.
I'm sure she had more than adequate training for her position.

amacachi · 25-01-2011 11:25am

LittleBook wrote: »

The most disappointing thing about this incident for me is that it's drawn attention away from the fact that a 25-year-old (rare that someone that age does this job) woman (even rarer!) is working as a linesman [sic] at a premier league match.

She called a tough decision perfectly. She is a credit to herself and her employers who hired her because they believe she's capable of doing the job well.

I'm fairly sure it's not the first time there's been a female linesman in the Premier League and if not for the comments those two made I'd find the praise she's getting very, very condescending.

Clare Bear · 25-01-2011 12:04pm

I only heard what they said this morning. It's bad enough what they said but more than anything to me it was the way they said it. It wasn't said in a laughy jokey way, it was quite nasty. And I rarely get annoyed by these things but it made me very uncomfortable listening to it.

Fair play to the girl for accepting the apology and I hope she can get on with her job now and be left alone.

LittleBook · 25-01-2011 12:22pm

amacachi wrote: »

I'm fairly sure it's not the first time there's been a female linesman in the Premier League and if not for the comments those two made I'd find the praise she's getting very, very condescending.

Why is it condescending?? If anything I look up to her!

There are a couple of other females that I know of out of the 300 odd assistant referees in the league. All of them deserve praise as far as I'm concerned just for getting to where they are but Massey is the one under discussion at the moment.

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 2:07pm

amiable wrote: »

No by suggesting someone has no brain you are suggesting someone has a disability and by doing that you are suggesting punishing someone because of their disability.
Where did i plead?

Don't be ridiculous, suggesting someone is brainless or their actions show a lack of brains is not suggesting they have a disability. You are now moving into the realms of the fantastical - by that logic someone turning up for work drunk would get dispensation for the disability of being legless?! :pac:

fatmammycat · 25-01-2011 2:11pm

http://www.101greatgoals.com/videodisplay/sky-news-report-keys-and-gray-with-extra-sexist-footage-8278226/

I think this shows how Andy Gray ticks pretty nicely. As to being unimpressed by casual sexism putting the 'women's movement back', dear oh dear. Logic fail. Maybe people should think for a second before the open their mouths and make idiots of themselves.

Dravokivich · 25-01-2011 5:09pm

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

someone turning up for work drunk would get dispensation for the disability of being legless?! :pac:

^
Note to self...

fatmammycat · 25-01-2011 5:25pm

Sky taking it very seriously, Gray has just been sacked. News developing.

More Gray being a prat- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cS8OkAiXCI&feature=youtu.be

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 5:28pm

Got to be much more to it going on behind the scenes. It strikes me as Sky making a concerted effort to blow this up to the biggest proportions possible - I don't believe for a second it's them taking a concrete hard-line with sexist comments.

fatmammycat · 25-01-2011 5:33pm

Probably Ickle, for those 'leaks' to come out there was most likely a reshuffle in the workings.

amiable · 25-01-2011 5:53pm

Or the fact that he is in the process of suing the owner of Sky for articles that appeared in one of his newspapers about Andy Gray.
Farcical decision imo

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 5:54pm

They were a pretty tawdry duo even on a good day - that and Greys multiple forays into sexist-pig PR liability territory sealed his fate, I reckon.

Ebbs · 25-01-2011 5:56pm

amiable wrote: »

Or the fact that he is in the process of suing the owner of Sky for articles that appeared in one of his newspapers about Andy Gray.
Farcical decision imo

More than likely the real reason he was sacked, walked himself into it. Makes the leak even more suspicious tbh.

I agree it is farcial but I am sure they were looking for any old reason to punish him. I hope he sues for unfair dismissal and wins both cases.

amiable · 25-01-2011 5:57pm

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

They were a pretty tawdry duo even on a good day - that and Greys multiple forays into sexist-pig PR liability territory sealed his fate, I reckon.

Considering you can't spell his name correct your comments on him will be taken with a pinch of salt by many

amiable · 25-01-2011 5:58pm

Ebbs wrote: »

More than likely the real reason he was sacked, walked himself into it. Makes the leak even more suspicious tbh.

I agree it is farcial but I am sure they were looking for any old reason to punish him. I hope he sues for unfair dismissal and wins both cases.

Agreed. He's gone now and i think its wrong he's gone but i won't lose too much sleep over it.
I do think British tv is gone PC mad

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 6:00pm

amiable wrote: »

Considering you can't spell his name correct your comments on him will be taken with a pinch of salt by many

Lol. Boo hoo, the wee sexist pig was pushed/walked - wah, wah, wah!!! What kind of idiot makes the mistake of becoming headline news making bitchy comments about people and then expects them to keep turning a blind eye to it? Whether I type without looking and spell gray wrongly or not...the fact you've got to stoop to making spelling jibes speaks volumes for the depth and strength of your argument.

amiable · 25-01-2011 6:03pm

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

Lol. Boo hoo, the wee sexist pig was pushed/walked - wah, wah, wah!!! What kind of idiot makes the mistake of becoming headline news making bitchy comments about people and then expects them to keep turning a blind eye to it? Whether I type without looking and spell gray wrongly or not...the fact you've got to stoop to making spelling jibes speaks volumes for the depth and strength of your argument.

No it doesn't. You are trying to come across as an expert on Sky's coverage yet you can't spell the guys name. Says it all that you are trying to detract from it unsuccessfully

amiable · 25-01-2011 6:04pm

I'm off from this thread. No point in discussing it with people who don't understand football. Cheerio:D

Dr Bolouswki · 25-01-2011 6:05pm

I don't think it's mad - I thought yesterday it wasn't being taken seriously enough - face it, they are alienating 50% of their potential demographic, although of course, it is mostly men that watch football, and with attitudes like that, its hardly surprising the sport doesn't attract more female viewers.

Good riddance - imagine being a woman and having to work with those a$$holes?

fatmammycat · 25-01-2011 6:05pm

He was sacked for his behaviour in December as far as I can make out, which I imagine, added to recent developments, is the straw that broke the camel's back.

By the way can we retire the 'PC gone mad' line. If this is Sky's decison it is a business one. There is clearly no room in the modern business for sexism, racism or being stupid. It's the latter Gray is being punished for, more than the first one.

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 6:05pm

amiable wrote: »

No it doesn't. You are trying to come across as an expert on Sky's coverage yet you can't spell the guys name. Says it all that you are trying to detract from it unsuccessfully

Who claimed to be an expert? I watch it and I'm entitled to my opinion of the commentators. I don't know anyone bar yourself who is extolling their commentary virtues...and trying to suggest everything I've said is automatically untrue based on my spelling his name wrong while hurriedly typing and suggesting I'm claiming expertise is just grasping at desperate straws, build a bridge and get over it, eh?

Dravokivich · 25-01-2011 6:06pm

amiable wrote: »

No it doesn't. You are trying to come across as an expert on Sky's coverage yet you can't spell the guys name. Says it all that you are trying to detract from it unsuccessfully

pray do tell, how does that change the point ickle is making?

Wolfe Tone · 25-01-2011 6:11pm

fatmammycat wrote: »

He was sacked for his behaviour in December as far as I can make out, which I imagine, added to recent developments, is the straw that broke the camel's back.

By the way can we retire the 'PC gone mad' line. If this is Sky's decison it is a business one. There is clearly no room in the modern business for sexism, racism or being stupid. It's the latter Gray is being punished for, more than the first one.

Gray is suing a murdoch paper apparently, I say thats why he was sacked.

Hippo · 25-01-2011 6:14pm

I've been watching Sky for years and Gray's always been an arse. Delighted everyone knows now!

fatmammycat · 25-01-2011 6:14pm

That might be WHY they want to get rid of him all right, but he walked himself into the snare with his stupidity.

Ickle Magoo · 25-01-2011 6:15pm

Yeah, they were probably just waiting for him drop another one of his infamous clangers and he stupidly obliged.

neveah · 25-01-2011 6:21pm

amiable wrote: »

I'm off from this thread. No point in discussing it with people who don't understand football. Cheerio:D

Can't believe this comment. To be frank, it doesn't matter whether you know about football or not to have an opinion on this story. We are all more that intitled to discuss this and debate it without even mentioning football. The fact is two men while in the workplace questioned the ability of a woman to do her job purely based on her sex, NOTHING else. That my friend, is sexism, and all workplaces these days take sexism, racism etc very seriously. As a previous person mentioned there is no place for this in modern business. If say they had made similar comments about a black person or an indian person then they would be in the same trouble.

Wolfe Tone · 25-01-2011 6:21pm

I laughed at this.

LittleBook · 25-01-2011 6:23pm

amiable wrote: »

I'm off from this thread. No point in discussing it with people who don't understand football. Cheerio:D

Why do some people talk about football like it's rocket science and difficult to understand??

Oh wait ... I just remembered what started this thread.

Nozebleed · 25-01-2011 6:24pm

i dont care for andy gray or richard keys..but they shouldn't be sacked..if people feel sacking them is justified id like to hear your thoughts on joan burton's tirade at joe higgins on tv3 last night. it was disgraceful.

Raze_them_all · 25-01-2011 6:26pm

From what I make out of this what they said was off air and a private conversation between them, could give him grounds for unfair dismissal tbh

Ebbs · 25-01-2011 6:26pm

Dr Bolouswki wrote: »

I don't think it's mad - I thought yesterday it wasn't being taken seriously enough - face it, they are alienating 50% of their potential demographic, although of course, it is mostly men that watch football, and with attitudes like that, its hardly surprising the sport doesn't attract more female viewers.

Good riddance - imagine being a woman and having to work with those a$$holes?

Potential demographic - 50%
Target Market - 5 or less %

Id hardly put comments, off mic as a reason women wouldnt watch football.

fatmammycat wrote: »

He was sacked for his behaviour in December as far as I can make out, which I imagine, added to recent developments, is the straw that broke the camel's back.

By the way can we retire the 'PC gone mad' line. If this is Sky's decison it is a business one. There is clearly no room in the modern business for sexism, racism or being stupid. It's the latter Gray is being punished for, more than the first one.

Agree with the first bit. Sky were probally looking for any old excuse to kick him with the court case, he has been their 18 years though, so I am sure he will be looked after healthly enough.

It was a business decision, nothing to do with sexism, one backed by monetary gain...yep. They'll get a new analyist in on half his wages now.

Odd however that they gave him a one game suspension...then sacked him. I wonder what happened in the interm...

I think the fact RK hasnt been sacked yet shows how much this wasnt about the incident in question.

Raze_them_all wrote: »

From what I make out of this what they said was off air and a private conversation between them, could give him grounds for unfair dismissal tbh

Id say he'll jump on the chance anyway. Techniqually nothing wrong with what they did.

fatmammycat · 25-01-2011 6:26pm

Nozebleed wrote: »

i dont care for andy gray or richard keys..but they shouldn't be sacked..if people feel sacking them is justified id like to hear your thoughts on joan burton's tirade at joe higgins on tv3 last night. it was disgraceful.

What exactly has that got to do with SKY sacking Gray?

Sky Sports presenters making sexist comments

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