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Eddie McGuire apologises, steps aside from commentary duties

Updated: Tosser comments by Eddie McGuire lead to an on-air apology and he steps aside from calling Saturday’s match.

Eddie McGuire has made an on-air apology after misfired comments about an AFL toin-coss.

After Cynthia Banham appeared to struggle as she tossed the coin McGuire said on air, “I think we should issue a $5000 fine for anybody who is tossing the coin and can’t do it properly.

“Every week we have someone dropping it on their foot. Come on, toss it up properly for goodness sake. Practice in the week, you know you’re going to do it. It can’t be that hard can it guys, seriously.”

But Banham, a former Sydney Morning Herald journalist had both legs amputated after a plane crash in Indonesia in 2007. She is now a Sydney Swans ambassador and holds a Doctor of Philosophy and a Masters in International Affairs.

At half time McGuire made an apology on FOX Footy.

“Before the match I made some comments about how we do the coin toss,” he said.

“It had nothing to do with the Cynthia Banham, who was the coin tosser tonight at the SCG who has a disability. I just want to apologise if this was communicated in the wrong way.

“I did not mean to offend anyone, especially Cynthia and I apologise unreservedly to her and her family and friends and Swans supporters and anybody watching tonight who took it that way. My apologies for that comment.”

Updated: Eddie McGuire has stepped aside from his Fox Footy commentary duties for Saturday afternoon’s clash between Essendon and St Kilda. McGuire made some comments about the coin toss before Friday night’s game between Sydney Swans and Adelaide Crows.

McGuire said he’d opted not to call Saturday’s match and had made an unreserved apology to all parties.

“Out of respect for Cynthia Banham and the Sydney Swans, I have requested not to call today’s game between Essendon and St Kilda,” McGuire said in a statement.

“I am deeply sorry and regretful for the comments I made last night about the coin tossing system. I should never have spoken without properly viewing the footage.

“I unreservedly apologise to Cynthia, her family and the Sydney Football Club for the pain and hurt that my comments have caused.”

The Swans issued a statement after the SCG clash won by the Crows.

“The Sydney Swans are incredibly disappointed by inappropriate comments made tonight by Eddie McGuire,’ it said.

“The comments show not only a lack of empathy, but also ignorance.

“Cynthia Banham is a passionate Sydney Swans member, our number one ticket holder, and a courageous woman who is an inspiration to all of us at the club.”

22 Responses

  1. Consequences are always in short supply with this guy. Apologies always seem to be be enough. Just say sorry and life goes on. To have such a blind spot is a reflection of his oversized ego and knowing he will get away with it. Clearly there isn’t anyone to take him on and pull him down a peg or two.

  2. I think Eddie is getting treated badly on this.
    ( yes I know he has said bad things in the past )
    If people look and listen closely to the footage he actually started the $5000 remark before Banham was shown on screen so I find it extremely difficult to believe that the comment was made at Banham and believe Eddie side of things particularly as after the coin toss ( which was okay ) which was shown he didn’t continue on with his previous thoughts that he had started aboutbbad coin tosses in general.
    The best version I can find of this is on the abc’s iveiew website and if you look at today’s show of the Offsiders at watch from the 9.50 mark

  3. For a guy that is so media savvy, boy does he make some blues. He gets so angry over the small stuff. Love how he also dishes out his own punishment. Benched for 1 game, lol.

  4. How many times does Eddie have to engage in “pub talk” before he is silenced for good? His apologies are getting pathetic. I did notice the other panel members laughed along. The whole football Culter is pathetic.

  5. This is getting crazy, I dont care one bit about footy, but seriously if you’ve been asked to do the coin toss, make sure you can actually do it for your own sake, otherwise you look like an idiot and leave yourself wide open for comments like this. Also Johnny1p5 I guess if people are going to make inappropriate comments they best make sure they are only about able bodies white men.

    1. Why be inappropriate about anyone at all, why mock anyone, why is it okay to say make fun of the red haired players of the game or those that have say a larger nose or ears or a receding hairline, why not just call the game.

  6. was this eddie collingwood president making this comment cause it was the Swans or was it media eddie making the comment , either way Fox Footy should cut him loose the amount of comments he has just said sorry and then made them again , he is not needed

  7. Hope there can be lessons learned from this. Coin tosses shouldn’t be taken so seriously and if the outcome is important, they should rely on something else to make decisions unless they do want a light-hearted approach. When broadcasting a particular event, the broadcasters should take the time and effort to get to know and understand the people who are participating, such as their names or organisations and backgrounds. It would be better appreciated and respected by the audiences too.

    1. Eddie is in South Melbourne at Foxtel’s studios, the game was in Sydney. He is getting his feed straight from the channel 7 coverage. Don’t see how him knowing who the person is tossing the coin actually helps the coverage? Yes, dumb thing to say, but it’s been blown out of proportion.
      Put it this way, if it had have been someone else on the panel instead of McGuire it wouldn’t have rated a mention nor drawn the ire of Andrew Pridham (safe to say they aren’t on each other’s Christmas list).

        1. He’s also live on air whilst this is occuring. The distance issue is true if he actually saw anything outside the coin toss. He said in his initial apology that all he had seen was the toss itself, that he hadn’t properly viewed it (caught it out of the corner of his eye).

  8. Obviously hasn’t learnt his lesson. I’ve lost count the amount of times Eddie has opened his mouth without thinking. Maybe they should start fining him $5000 everytime he stuffs up.

  9. Silly comment. Eddies comment was in response to the coin toss and nothing more .The same comment would have been made by the many TV viewers watching . It was just a silly coin toss for heavens sake.

  10. Every week we have some sports presenter put their foot in their mouth, can’t we just have a sports program without it being insensitive, ignorant, inappropriate and disrespectful, especially to women, other races, cultures and the disabled. It can’t be that hard. Maybe just do some research and rehearsals during the week, learn about the people you’ll be talking about and perhaps just call the game for once.

    1. Oh and I did not mean to offend anyone, especially Eddie and I apologise unreservedly to him and his family and friends, Collingwood supporters and anybody reading this who took or may take it that way. My apologies in advance for the above comment.

    2. Every week? Really. I don’t follow AFL but do follow a number of Australian and US sports and this rarely occurs in those sports. Honestly can’t remember the last time it happened.

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