Swann apologises for ‘crass’ rape comment
21 Dec 2013 5:25 AM IST
The comment, made in a Facebook exchange with his brother and picked up by British newspapers, prompted outrage on social media and from rape charities.
‘Sorry to anyone who was offended by my comments in the papers today. Crass and thoughtless of me in the extreme,’ the spin bowler said on his Twitter account. He had posted the Facebook comment in response to his brother, Alec, who said he had enjoyed a night out seeing a band in Northampton.
‘Rather have been there than being arse raped in Perth!’ Swann replied, referring to England’s humiliating defeat that handed Australia an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the Ashes series. His message sparked condemnation from Yvonne Traynor, the chief executive of Rape Crisis in Britain. ‘We are appalled that Graeme Swann equates a cricket match with the devastatingly serious crime of rape,’ she told British media. ‘It is the duty of people in the public eye to make sure that their own distorted views are kept to themselves and not shared with the general public.'
‘These comments lack compassion and intelligence and he should apologise to anyone who has suffered from this heinous crime.’ Swann has been under pressure in the Ashes series, taking only seven wickets at 80.00 in three heavy defeats to Australia. He had a particularly bad Test in Perth, where he was hit for 22 in one over by Shane Watson. His comments came a day after Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris came under fire for sending a profanity-laden tweet when he was denied entry to a Perth casino during the team’s celebrations.
Ashes: Schofield backs England coach Flower
SYDNEY: A key architect of the revival of English cricket on Thursday backed under-fire coach Andy Flower after the team meekly surrendered the Ashes to Australia. Ken Schofield, who authored a report on the way forward for England after their 5-0 Ashes whitewash in 2006-07, called for Flower to remain in the job after the current series ends. Flower’s coaching future is unclear after his first Ashes defeat. There is speculation he may not continue but Schofield said he was a strong supporter. ‘I would like to think the fact these results have gone so wrong would want him to have another go and not leave on a negative. Only he would know,’ Schofield told Fairfax Media. ‘But I would think everyone in English cricket and British sport wants Andy Flower to go on -- we think the world of him.’
‘Sorry to anyone who was offended by my comments in the papers today. Crass and thoughtless of me in the extreme,’ the spin bowler said on his Twitter account. He had posted the Facebook comment in response to his brother, Alec, who said he had enjoyed a night out seeing a band in Northampton.
‘Rather have been there than being arse raped in Perth!’ Swann replied, referring to England’s humiliating defeat that handed Australia an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the Ashes series. His message sparked condemnation from Yvonne Traynor, the chief executive of Rape Crisis in Britain. ‘We are appalled that Graeme Swann equates a cricket match with the devastatingly serious crime of rape,’ she told British media. ‘It is the duty of people in the public eye to make sure that their own distorted views are kept to themselves and not shared with the general public.'
‘These comments lack compassion and intelligence and he should apologise to anyone who has suffered from this heinous crime.’ Swann has been under pressure in the Ashes series, taking only seven wickets at 80.00 in three heavy defeats to Australia. He had a particularly bad Test in Perth, where he was hit for 22 in one over by Shane Watson. His comments came a day after Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris came under fire for sending a profanity-laden tweet when he was denied entry to a Perth casino during the team’s celebrations.
Ashes: Schofield backs England coach Flower
SYDNEY: A key architect of the revival of English cricket on Thursday backed under-fire coach Andy Flower after the team meekly surrendered the Ashes to Australia. Ken Schofield, who authored a report on the way forward for England after their 5-0 Ashes whitewash in 2006-07, called for Flower to remain in the job after the current series ends. Flower’s coaching future is unclear after his first Ashes defeat. There is speculation he may not continue but Schofield said he was a strong supporter. ‘I would like to think the fact these results have gone so wrong would want him to have another go and not leave on a negative. Only he would know,’ Schofield told Fairfax Media. ‘But I would think everyone in English cricket and British sport wants Andy Flower to go on -- we think the world of him.’
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