DUBAI // A commentator covering the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on OSN Sports was sacked on Friday after making an “inappropriate” remark about last week’s fatal helicopter crash in Glasgow, Scotland.
Helen Alfredsson, a respected former professional golfer who retired in September, was covering the second round at Emirates Golf Club when a helicopter flew overhead and the Swede referred to the tragedy, which killed nine people.
Viewers watching the live feed, sent out by the Ladies European Tour (LET) and shared by a number of broadcasters worldwide, including Sky Sports and OSN, quickly took to social media to criticise Alfredsson, who said she hoped the pilot was better than the one in Glasgow.
In a statement from LET on Friday, Alfredsson said: “Regretfully, I made an inappropriate and distasteful comment on air today and apologise unreservedly for any offence that was caused by this mistake.
“I did not intend to hurt anybody and I am devastated if I have hurt anyone. I feel very embarrassed because this was not intended in any shape or form.”
Ivan Khodabakhsh, LET’s chief executive, said: “Helen Alfredsson’s comment on air was clearly careless, but people who know Helen will realise that she would never have intended to hurt someone and I do not believe this was the case.”
Alfredsson, a winner of 11 LET tournaments during her career, was yesterday replaced in the commentary box by Carin Koch, her compatriot who played the first two rounds in Dubai but missed the cut.
jmcauley@thenational.ae
