بريطانيا: اعتذار مذيع عن سخريته من سجود لاعبي كرة القدم

- خبر من مصادر إنجليزية.

قام مذيع شبكة "بي بي سي" البريطانية "جاري لينيكر"، بتقديم الاعتذار على تعليقه السخيف الذي أطلقه أثناء التعليق على مباراة لكرة القدم بقناة الجزيرة بين فريقي "شالكه" و"مونبيليه" في بطولة أبطال أوروبا؛ حيث وصف سجود لاعبين مسلمين عقب إحراز أحد الأهداف بأنه "أكل للعُشب".

وقد أثار تعليقه غضب الكثير من المشاهدين الذين انتقدوا التعليق غير اللائق؛ حيث وصفه بعضهم بأنه "غباء وجهل شديد"، وقد أشار المذيع في تعليقه إلى أنه لم يتعمد الإساءة، وزعم أنه لم يدر ما معتقد اللاعبين، في حين رفضت "بي بي سي" التعليق، مؤكدة أن التعليق على هذا الأمر لا يعنيها. المصدر: شبكة الألوكة.

يرجى الإشارة إلى المصدر عند نقل الخبر – شبكة الألوكة.

الخبر من مصدره الأصلي:

Gary Lineker forced to eat humble pie after he accuses praying Muslims of 'eating grass' during Al Jazeera commentary

Gary Lineker has been forced to apologise after accidentally ridiculing two Muslim footballers during a match commentary on TV.

When the players celebrated a goal by dropping to their knees and bowing their heads in the Islamic prayer position, Lineker said it looked as though they ‘ate grass’.

The gesture is often used by Muslim players to celebrate.

He was commentating on Al Jazeera TV, which is mainly aimed at audiences in the Middle East and has a huge Islamic audience.

Lineker, who is one of the BBC’s biggest faces in sport, has a clause in his contract that allows him to freelance for the other channel.

The gaffe was made during Wednesday night’s Champions League game between Schalke and Montpellier when discussing the French side’s opening goal.

He said: ‘A terrific effort from Karim Ait-Fana, who scored from just outside the area and then ate grass . . . as you do.’

Viewers saw images of Ait-Fana, 23, and Younes Belhanda, 25, adopt the traditional Muslim prayer position, known as Sajda.

The comment attracted criticism online.

One viewer wrote on Twitter: ‘Lineker’s comment about Muslims [is a] very stupid remark and [one of] sheer ignorance.’

Another said: 'I'm off to the mosque for Friday prayers shortly. Or "eating grass" as Gary Lineker likes to call it.'

One tweeter said the presenter had 'no respect' while another said his comment was 'idiotic'.

According to football website Goal.com, London-based Imam Ajmal Masroor said: ‘The players are not asking anyone else to join in their worship, they are making a gesture in thanks to God – saying they are “eating grass” is outrageous.’

Lineker insisted he did not realise what they were doing.

The 51-year-old pundit wrote on his website: ‘I’m sorry but I’m not aware of every player’s religion.’

The BBC said it was not a matter for them to comment on.