News
Narjas Zatat
Oct 17, 2018
Australia's Channel Seven Sunrise host David Koch made viewers angry after he appeared to make a joke about slavery during a segment about athlete Usain Bolt.
The on-air faux pas happened after co-host Mark Beretta read a story about the Jamaican-born Olympic legend, alongside Sam Armytage and Natalie Barr.
Speaking about Bolt possibly leaving the Central Coast Mariners Football Club, Koch began: "So the Mariners sell him for money, they make a lot of money out of it?" he asked.
Beretta replied:
It's a win-win: You keep him, great. You sell him, so be it. That's the tough world of professional football.
And then Koch dropped the following bomb:
Who said slavery was over - anyway. No.
He seemed to have caught on that what he said was highly inappropriate, and changed the subject - but not before viewers heard what he said.
Barr and the other co-hosts looked stunned.
Viewers are angry...
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Other people argued that the entire segment was just wrong.
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In response to mounting criticism, Koch attempted to defend his use of the word "slavery":
"We were talking about how good it is for Bolt and the Mariners at news he was getting offers from European clubs. Basically, the use of the word slavery is a reference I've used to defend players who want to trade clubs or change jobs in sport."
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...but people are not impressed by his botched attempt at an apology.
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