Sky Sports recently interviewed Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, and one of the things that were discussed was racism in the Scottish Premiership.
The Light Blues star reportedly told the media outlet:
“First, I’ll talk about the match against Motherwell. We were winning a very important match. I scored a very important goal and I celebrated. I didn’t mean to offend anyone. If you look back I have done this celebration at home and away matches. In the match against Celtic we were winning in added time.
“I fell down. Whether that is simulation or not is up to the referee. Afterwards it was very frustrating to hear the crowd screaming at me. They were saying offensive and racist words.
“I wasn’t trying to instigate or incite anything. I just wanted them to stop. It was sort of a symbol that says, ‘Come on guys the game is over! This doesn’t need to continue! I understand that you criticise me but now it’s over!'”
However, it appears Morelos’ Spanish was wrongly translated, with the Daily Record’s Kathleen Speirs, who is fluent in Spanish translating it thus:
“First I’m going to talk about the situation against Motherwell. We were winning an important game. And I celebrated as I always do in Ibrox, with my fans and the Rangers people. The gesture I made wasn’t meant to offend them.
“I have always celebrated like that. But yes, it wasn’t a gesture to offend anyone. And then against Celtic, we were winning 2-0. I don’t know if I fell or whatever but I wasn’t trying to win a penalty.
“The referee decided to send me off. That’s fine, that’s his decision. But the gesture I made wasn’t racist.”
This has prompted Celtic to call out Sky Sports, and they have released a statement on their official website which reads thus:
“Celtic Football Club has today asked Sky Sports to conduct an investigation into an interview broadcast yesterday, which accused Celtic supporters of racist behaviour. Translations provided to Celtic Football Club have shown inconsistencies between the words spoken during the interview broadcast and the subtitles used by Sky Sports.
“In particular, and most concerning, while the broadcaster used the following subtitle on screen: “Afterwards it was very frustrating to hear the crowd screaming at me. They were saying offensive and racist words.”
“Mr Morelos does not use these words anywhere within the extended interview which has been broadcast across Sky’s platforms. Celtic FC has asked Sky Sports to clarify their position on this matter.”
Sky’s translation of Morelos’s Spanish was far from perfect, and it’s safe to say they were inaccurate.
It is capable of further sowing discord between the Celtic and Rangers fan bases, and an outlet like Sky Sports ought to know better.
They have now removed the interview from all platforms as they investigate following Celtic’s statement.
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