ENGLAND’S GRAEME SWANN has apologised for a “crass and offensive” comment after he compared the third Ashes Test loss to Australia to being “raped”.
The comment, made in a Facebook exchange with his brother and picked up by British newspapers, prompted outrage on social media and from rape charities.
“Sorry to anyone who was offended by my comments in the papers today. Crass and thoughtless of me in the extreme,” the spin bowler said on his Twitter account.
He had posted the Facebook comment in response to his brother, Alec, who said he had enjoyed a night out seeing a band in Northampton.
“Rather have been there than being arse raped in Perth!” Swann replied, referring to England’s humiliating defeat that handed Australia an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the Ashes series.
His message sparked condemnation from Yvonne Traynor, the chief executive of Rape Crisis in Britain.
“We are appalled that Graeme Swann equates a cricket match with the devastatingly serious crime of rape,” she told British media.
“It is the duty of people in the public eye to make sure that their own distorted views are kept to themselves and not shared with the general public.
These comments lack compassion and intelligence and he should apologise to anyone who has suffered from this heinous crime.”
Swann has been under pressure in the Ashes series, taking only seven wickets at 80.00 in three heavy defeats to Australia. He had a particularly bad Test in Perth, where he was hit for 22 in one over by Shane Watson.
His comments came a day after Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris came under fire for sending a profanity-laden tweet when he was denied entry to a Perth casino during the team’s celebrations.
The whole place is gone mad!
Can’t say a word these days without upsetting someone.
If you’re looking for a metaphor for what went on down under, Swann’s is about as accurate as they get.
Down under. . .
You d think the chief exec from the rape crisis center would have bigger issues to deal with?
I’m extremely offended by Graeme swans comment,he has no idea about the type of irrepressible horror and trauma that people like me have suffered and he won’t know until he faces dr.crokes in championship in Fitzgerald stadium.
it was more like sodomy