Boycott makes racist remark, apologises

London, August 22

Controversial England batting legend Geoff Boycott made a grovelling apology on Tuesday for remarking he needed to “black up his face” to get a knighthood at an event last week. The 76-year-old astonished his audience with his comment during a question and answer session in one of the intervals at last week’s first Test between England and West Indies. Boycott, who played a pivotal role in organising the 1982 England rebel tour of South Africa when its sporting links had been cut with the rest of the world because of the apartheid regime, said knighthoods had been bestowed on West Indian cricketers like “confetti”.

“Mine’s been turned down twice. I’d better black me face,” Boycott is reported to have said according to a guest at the event cited by The Daily Mirror.  The guest said the remark, though intended as a joke, was “crass” and went down like a “lead balloon”.  

Boycott took to Twitter on Tuesday to apologise.  “Speaking at an informal gathering I was asked a question and I realise my answer was unacceptable,” he tweeted. “I meant no offence but what I said was clearly wrong and I apologise unreservedly. I have loved West Indian cricket my whole life and have the utmost respect for its players.”

West Indies greats like Viv Richards, Garfield Sobers and Curtly Ambrose have been knighted whilst the last England cricketer to be knighted was Ian Botham — no stranger to controversy himself — in 2007. — AFP