BBC Apologizes For Commentator’s Homophobic Remark At Olympic Tennis Match

The network called the comment "ill-judged."
From: NewNowNext

 The British Broadcasting Corporation has issued an apology after one of their commentators at the 2016 Rio Games made an off-color joke during a tennis match yesterday.

Paul Hand was presenting a match-up between Johanna Konta and Svetlana Kuznetsova at the women’s tennis singles Tuesday afternoon when he made the comment during a break in play.

In the lull, the cameraman began to pan around the crowd, stopping on various couples. Hand would remark on the couple’s reactions and encourage them to kiss one another.

After featuring a few different pairs, Hand offhandedly remarked, “Let’s hope they don’t go on to two blokes sat next to each other.”

Here's Paul Hand's kiss-cam commentary from the Kuznetsova v Konta match. #tennis (sorry for poor quality) pic.twitter.com/Dhv1o1fvnu

— Lee (@yelnats_eel) August 9, 2016

Twitter users quickly slammed the commentator and the BBC for the homophobic jab.

@BBCRedButton could the idiot commentator, please cease making homophobic comments about the kisscam at the Konta match

— Frew (@TheFrew68) August 9, 2016

@BBCSport Could you tell your tennis commentators that two men kissing is ok, and they should avoid being homophobic? That would be grand.

— (((NissMassarano))) (@nmassarano) August 9, 2016

Horrendous casual homophobia from @BBCSport commentator on Konta/Kuznetsova match - he hopes we don't have to see 2 men kissing during break

— Maggie Chapman (@Maggie4Scotland) August 9, 2016

The BBC responded to the criticism, stating, “The comment was ill judged and we apologize to any of our viewers who were offended.”

Unfortunately, this is not the first report of anti-LGBT behavior at the 2016 Games. Earlier this week, sources reported that crowds were chanting anti-gay slurs at Olympic women’s soccer matches.