Oops. Kochie clanger over Usain Bolt.

A ‘slavery’ comment by David Koch on Sunrise this morning drew awkward looks from his co-presenters and has since attracted social media scorn and ensuing headlines.

It came when Mark Beretta explained a European football club’s interest in snatching Usain Bolt before he signs with the Central Coast Mariners.

“So the Mariners sell him for money, they make a lot of money out of it?” asked Koch.

“It’s a win-win: You keep him, great. You sell him, so be it. That’s the tough world of professional football,” Beretta replied.

Koch, who is also chairman of Port Adelaide, responded then backtracked all at the same time.

“Who said slavery was over, anyway? No….” he said, realising a foot-in-mouth moment.

But fellow presenters failed to see the funny side of it and the show quickly moved on.

FOX Sports has the video here.

It wasn’t enough to avoid criticism on social media including some drawing attention to this year’s comments about Indigenous children at risk. Koch, who was not part of that original segment, hosted Sunrise‘s make-good segment with Indigenous leaders a week later.

Later today he said, “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…  that you can’t keep them… it’s a free world. There’s no slavery any more. People have rights.

“I admit it was clumsily put this morning when talking about Bolt shifting clubs so early and I should have explained it better.”

Earlier this week he noted TV life is “a bubble” and “a bit of a bullshit job.”