'He's having a holocaust': Shock as Sky Sports pundit compares Arsenal's defending to Nazi genocide

Sky Sports football pundit Tony Cascarino caused outrage when he described an Arsenal defender as 'having a holocaust' in the club's match against Manchester United



The pundit used the shocking term yesterday to describe French player Armand Traore's performance against United player Luis Nani.

Cascarino's comment came when he was working as a pundit on Sky Sports News and United were winning 3-1 midway through the match.

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Shocking: Tony Cascarino made the comment on Sky Sports News when working as a pundit on the Manchester United versus Arsenal match yesterday

Comment: Cascarino said that Armand Traore, left, was 'having a holocaust' against United player Luis Nani

Asked for an update by one of the presenters, he made a comment on the performance on Arsenal forward Andrei Arshavin which in turn was affecting Traore's performance.

He said: 'Poor out Traore at right back is having a holocaust because he is finding himself against Nani who is literally run at him from everywhere and Arshavin is not tracking his runners.'

Cascarino, 48, continued to talk about the match before it cut back to presenter Natalie Sawyer.

She i mmediately made an on-air apology for his comments.

She said: I should just say that if anyone was offended by what you just said I have to make an apology.'

Apology: Sky Sports News presenter Natalie Sawyer was quick to apologise to viewers for Cascarino's comment

And a statement from Sky issued quickly after the incident said: 'Tony Cascarino made his comments in the heat of the moment. An immediate apology on behalf of Tony and Sky Sports was made on air as soon as possible for any offence caused.'

Cascarino has written a critically acclaimed autobiography named Full Time and also writes a football column for The Times

Despite the apology, outraged fans took to social networking sites to demand the sacking of the former Republic of Ireland player.

One user wrote: 'Tony Cascarino should be sacked on the spot. He said an Arsenal defender was having a "holocaust". Appallingly ignorant.'

Another said: ' Tony Cascarino should be removed from broadcasting, disgusting comments today, no need for it at all .'

Cascarino's is the latest in a long list of comments made by Sky Sports presenters that have caused anger.

In January this year, the station's two main footballer presenters, Richard Keys and Andy Gray, were both sacked over their comments on a female match official.

Thinking they were not on air during a game between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers both questioned whether Sian Massey would know the offside rule.

Keys was recorded as saying: 'Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her.

And Gray replied: 'Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don’t know the offside rule.'



Other pundits to be sacked include Rodney Marsh, who made a comment about the 2004 Asian Tsunami, while Ron Atkinson was fired from ITV for making a racist comment about ex-Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly.





