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Ian Wright ridicules Lord Sugar's 'foolish' comments

about Women's Euro 2022 pundits
Sugar appeared to suggest his complaints about all-female commentary
teams led to Wright working for BBC at England's win over Norway

By Tom Garry, WOMEN'S FOOTBALL REPORTER

12 July 2022 • 5:21pm

144

Ian Wright was working for BBC at England's 8-0 win over Norway CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

Ian Wright has branded Lord Sugar "foolish" and says the businessman's "ego
is out of control" as he laughed o: Sugar's suggestion that he had in;uenced
Wright's selection as a pundit for Monday's England women's match.

Sugar had complained on Twitter on Saturday that "all the commentators are
women" on the BBC's coverage of the Women's Euros and then posted again
on Tuesday to suggest his comments had led to Wright's involvement on-
screen on Monday.

White corrected The Apprentice host's claim and said: "Can everyone please
just stop sending me the Alan Sugar tweet. It’s doing my head in, I can’t
believe it."

Sugar was previously criticised for saying on Monday "I also note when men's
football is on there is a symobilic [sic] female commentator to cover the
broadcaster's a--- - there should be a male commentator in women's football."
Presenter Gabby Logan had been among those to point out that Sugar was
wrong to imply no men were covering the Euros for the BBC, replying: "We
have plenty of men working on this tournament, don’t fret you’re not being
eradicated."

As well as Wright, the BBC's Euros contributors - announced in June - has also
seen men including current Arsenal women's team manager Jonas Eidevall as
an on-screen pundit, former Glasgow City manager Scott Booth as a co-
commentator, plus former men's footballers including Pat Nevin and Stephen
Warnock on BBC Radio 5 live, while Jonathan Pearce has been among the lead
match commentators.

But on Tuesday morning, after Wright was among the on-screen pundits for
BBC One's coverage of Monday night's record-breaking win, Sugar appeared
to double down on his comments, adding:

Lord Sugar
@Lord_Sugar · Follow

I was pleased to see my old mate Ian Wright was given the
opportunity to commentate on the ladies game last night. I
wonder if my earlier tweet below touched a nerve. Of
course BBC sport will say not at all, Ian was already lined
up for it @IanWright0

Lord Sugar @Lord_Sugar

I am watching the women football and notice that ALL the comentators
are women. I also note when mens football is on there is a symobilic
female comentator to cover the broadcasters arse. Should I complain
there should me a male commentator in women's football

9:56 AM · Jul 12, 2022

1K Reply Share

Read 898 replies

Wright, a long-term advocate and supporter of the women's game, and a

regular pundit for coverage of England's women's on ITV's coverage of
qualiWers and friendlies over the past 12 months, posted a video on Twitter to
call out Sugar, adding:

"Alan, the thing is, my friend, rather than just say ‘I got it wrong, lots of men
are working at all levels of the tournament’, you’ve doubled down on some
complete f------ foolishness.

"So in your mind your actually thought, after you sent that Tweet, the the BBC
phoned me up - never mind the fact that I’ve been booked for a year - you
genuinely think they’ve called me up and said ‘Ian, you’ve got to get back
from Germany asap, Alan Sugar has tweeted and we can’t upset him, we need
to get you on’? You genuinely believe that that happened?

Natalie Pirks
@Natpirks · Follow

Lord Sugar here, revealing this has infact been a parody

account all along. #symobilic

Lord Sugar @Lord_Sugar

I was pleased to see my old mate Ian Wright was given the opportunity
to commentate on the ladies game last night. I wonder if my earlier
tweet below touched a nerve. Of course BBC sport will say not at all,
Ian was already lined up for it @IanWright0

10:27 AM · Jul 12, 2022

42 Reply Share

Read 4 replies

"That says to me, my god, your ego is totally out of control. Where are the
people around you to hug you, bro? You need some hugs, man, coming on
Twitter for attention like this. It’s laughable, stop doing it to yourself."

Wright then chuckled as he added, tongue-in-cheek: "But I’ve got to say,

thank you man, for that Tweet, because if it wasn’t for you I would have
missed one of the greatest England games that’s ever been played. Can you
please Tweet again so I can work on Friday?

"The thing is, in all seriousness, I’m glad you’re watching. And the only thing
that you can Wnd fault with doesn’t even exist. I sit in rooms with ex-players
belittling the women’s game all the time - I am so glad it annoys you and all of
them."

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Related Topics
144
Women's Euro 2022, England Women's Football Team, Alan Sugar,
BBC

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