AFL commentator Brian Taylor was pulled from his 3AW radio duties yesterday and will undergo counselling after he used a gay slur against Geelong star Harry Taylor on live television on Saturday night.
Fairfax Media reports, Taylor was due to call the Essendon-Collingwood game on Sunday but was removed from his duties for the afternoon after he referred to Geelong player Harry Taylor as “a big poofter” on Channel Seven.
“I’ve spoken to (3AW) management and they have chosen to give me a day off to collect my thoughts, so I’ll take the opportunity to have a day off,” Taylor told 3AW Football. “My apology of (Saturday) night absolutely stands unequivocally,” he added. “I made a blue, I apologised accordingly at the first opportunity to the Seven viewers where I made the blue.”
AFL player Harry Taylor said while he wasn’t personally offended by the slur he felt there was no place for such offensive words in the AFL. “He’s apologised now and we accept the apology, and I certainly accept the apology,” Harry Taylor said. “Our club respects diversity in our game and in our society and I know all of our players are very big on that and I don’t think those things should be said in our game but also in society.”
3AW general manager Shane Healy apologising to listeners for the commentator’s remark. “Given that he made similar stupid comments not that long ago, I felt it was appropriate to ask him to miss today’s broadcast,” he said. “We understand that although none of the comments were malicious, they were stupid and the fact he did it again last night … we are concerned he may need further counselling.”
Earlier this year Brian Taylor made similarly disparaging remarks about his 3AW colleague Seb Costello, mocking his dress style as “gay”. “I don’t want to offend his upbringing or his parents, but he looks gay. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s just a look as ‘sophisticated’ is a look, as ‘daggy’ is a look. You look gay,” he said at the time.
The comments came just as news was breaking that one of Australia’s greatest sporting heroes, Olympic champion Ian Thorpe, had publicly come out during a television interview, detailing his long term struggle with hiding his sexuality in the public arena.
Soon after the Taylor made the slur on air Chanel Seven released a statement with managing director Lewis Martin labelling the comments “unacceptable” and said they “will not be tolerated”. “Brian has been censured, and will be supported through counselling and education to ensure this mistake will never happen again.”
