LONDON: British entrepreneur and member of the House of Lords Alan Sugar has come in for heavy criticism after posting a tweet about the Senegalese World Cup squad that compared the players to people selling sunglasses and handbags on beaches in popular European resorts.
The tweet, which has been deleted, featured a photoshopped picture of the Senegal national team lining up for their game against Poland depicting them as though they were selling counterfeit goods.
“I recognize some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multitasking, resourceful chaps,” Lord Sugar tweeted.
After several people lambasted the tweet as being racist, Sugar responded by tweeting: “Why not, it is meant to be funny … I can’t see what I have to apologize for.”
Sugar then deleted the image, with a tweet saying: “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.”
Sugar then issued a further apology, stating: “I misjudged my earlier tweet. It was in no way intended to cause offense, and clearly my attempt at humor has backfired. I have deleted the tweet and am very sorry.”
Sugar has fronted the popular UK version of ‘The Apprentice’ since 2005.
