Outrage as Lord Sugar tweets 'racist' image likening Senegal's national squad to Marbella street sellers

Lord Alan Sugar today sparked a huge race row after he posted a racist tweet comparing the Senegal national football team to black beach sellers.

Hundreds of people immediately slammed the 71-year-old Apprentice host, but he initially failed to back down, calling the reaction 'OTT' to what was a 'bloody joke'.

The tweet was eventually removed 23 minutes later - but Lord Sugar insisted this was only because it was 'interpreted in the wrong way as offensive by a few people'. 

However, 82 minutes after posting the initial message, he admitted the tweet was 'misjudged' and his 'attempt at humour has backfired', saying he was 'very sorry'.

Lord Sugar's position as host of the popular BBC TV programme - which has run for 13 seasons so far, with another on screen this autumn - could now come into doubt.


His initial message, posted at 10.39am, included an image of the Senegal squad on the pitch, edited to include handbags and sunglasses laid out on sheets.

Lord Sugar wrote above the image: 'I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multi tasking resourceful chaps.'

But the post was then deleted - and Lord Sugar said: 'Just been reading the reaction to my funny tweet about the guy on the beach in Marbella .

'Seems it has been interpreted in the wrong way as offensive by a few people. Frankly I can't see that I think it's funny. But I will pull it down if you insist.'

However, 82 minutes after posting the first message, he tweeted: 'I misjudged me earlier tweet. It was in no way intended to cause offence, and clearly my attempt at humour has backfired. I have deleted the tweet and am very sorry.'

A BBC spokesman said today: 'Lord Sugar has acknowledged this was a seriously misjudged tweet, and he's in no doubt about our view on this. It's right he's apologised unreservedly.'

Earlier, he had tweeted to a follower who asked when he would apologise: 'I can't see what I have to apologise for... you are OTT... it's a bloody joke.' 

In another post in response to someone who had said it was 'not an OK tweet', Lord Sugar wrote: 'why not, it is meant to be funny... for God's sake.' 

Sugar later told Mirror Online: 'It was meant as a joke. Someone sent me the picture and I tweeted. People know I have fought against racism for years. 







MailOnline