Trevor Sinclair has finally apologised for tweeting that ‘black and brown’ people should not mourn the Queen after being suspended by talkSPORT – with the shamed presenter saying the intervention was ‘ill-timed’.
The network officially suspended Sinclair after the former England footballer shared the controversial post relating to the Queen’s death on Thursday afternoon.
Sinclair claimed that ‘black and brown’ people should not mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II because racism was allowed to ‘thrive’ during her reign.
Sinclair’s tweet came shortly after Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty the Queen at the age of 96 on Thursday. Fans were quick to criticise the 49-year-old and called for talkSPORT to sack the football pundit.
Today he took to Twitter to apologise, writing: ‘My tweet yesterday was ill timed at a time when the royal family, and many around the world were grieving for the Queen. I apologise for any offence caused to those mourning The Queen.’
TalkSPORT have officially suspended Trevor Sinclair (above) for his controversial Tweet
Today Sinclair took to Twitter to apologise, writing that his message was ‘ill timed’
The network officially suspended Sinclair after the former England footballer shared the controversial post relating to the Queen’s death on Thursday afternoon
TalkSPORT have released the following statement saying: ‘Trevor Sinclair will not be on air while we carry out a thorough investigation into the circumstances and timing of his tweet.
‘While we respect the right of Trevor Sinclair to express his opinion on his personal twitter account, talkSPORT does not endorse the tweet.’
TalkSPORT had been trying to make contact with former Manchester City midfielder Sinclair, but struggled to get hold of him on Thursday night or Friday morning.
Sinclair’s now deleted Tweet read: ‘Racism was outlawed in England in the 60’s & it’s been allowed to thrive so why should black and brown mourn!!.’ His account has also since been deleted.
The radio station vowed to deal with the matter and distanced themselves from Sinclair’s post, responding: ‘We have been trying to make contact with Trevor Sinclair following opinions expressed on his Twitter account.
‘TalkSPORT does not support those views expressed and is investigating the matter.’
The matter was discussed further on talkSPORT on Friday morning with Sinclair’s colleague Simon Jordan heavily critical.
‘My first reaction to Trevor’s tweet was of great disappointment. You have a view, and I think it is a poor view,’ he told talkSPORT.
talkSPORT had promised to take action to deal with the matter
Sinclair’s colleague Simon Jordan had responded to Sinclair’s tweet last night calling him out for his view
‘I think it’s a misguided view, I think it is a view not steeped in any great fact, because if you’re going to argue that racism was outlawed in the 60s, then you would know that society has treated it with great value.
‘But to put a tweet out with that content at that time, was to my mind, deeply inappropriate, and people are allowed to have their views.
‘There are people that will hold that view, and there are people that will hold the view that they didn’t attach any great value to the monarchy, and they are entitled to that view.
‘I find myself a very conflicted person because I abhor the view, but I know the man, so I know Trevor as a person, we’ve had very robust arguments and debates specifically and explicitly on this subject, and all of those arguments have ended, with an agreement to disagree.
Simon Jordan’s full words on Trevor Sinclair
‘What I would like to say, we both know Trevor very well, and I am not the sort of person that feels the need to be unnecessarily patronizing to someone or defending the indefensible.
‘My first reaction to Trevor’s tweet was of great disappointment. You have a view, and I think it is a poor view.
‘I think it’s a misguided view, I think it is a view not steeped in any great fact, because if you’re going to argue that racism was outlawed in the 60s, then you would know that society has treated it with great value.
‘But to put a tweet out with that content at that time, was to my mind, deeply inappropriate, and people are allowed to have their views.
‘There are people that will hold that view, and there are people that will hold the view that they didn’t attach any great value to the monarchy, and they are entitled to that view.
‘I find myself a very conflicted person because I abhor the view, but I know the man, so I know Trevor as a person, we’ve had very robust arguments and debates specifically and explicitly on this subject, and all of those arguments have ended, with an agreement to disagree.
‘And so for Trevor to portray advantage point, and he will have come from a background, I am not an apologist for Trevor Sinclair. He will have come from a background in his life where he would have been faced with things like no blacks, no dogs, no Irish painted on walls, and so and so forth.
‘But to put a tweet up like that at a time when a unique moment has happened in the country disappointed me greatly.
‘And this is not where Trevor Sinclair should want to be, he is a better man than that.
‘And there will be a lot of people, there will be a cancel culture now, and I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it piling in on my social, I responded to Trevor with a tweet. I kind of regretted it to some extent because I felt that I should have perhaps text him direct rather than respond to a tweet because and I didn’t quote tweet it because it;s not then about me replying to Trevor.
‘It was a reaction for me to say, oh, no Trevor this is not an appropriate thought. It’s not right for the start.
‘And it’s certainly not for the timing of it if you want to have this view, there will be a time for people to have different views about the monarchy and about our queen. This was never the time.
‘And of course, now what we’ve got on our hands is a broadcaster and as people that know Trevor, is a culture of people saying he’s got to be fired.
‘He’s got to be cancelled. He’s got to be gotten rid of and that’s for other people to make those decisions. But we also live in a society where people are allowed to have alternative views. And if you start cancelling people, be careful what you cancel.
‘I know I haven’t spoken to him, and I’m sure that he’ll be in a state of great distress because he’ll look at the reality of what he’s put out there and think I may hold those views, but there’s no parallel universe where that was the right time to say it.
‘There is no parallel universe whether you’ve got freedom of speech. Some things just don’t need to be said and I am not trying to find a backdrop to give Trevor.
‘Everyone has to suffer the consequences of what they do and say and Trevor will suffer the consequences for this.
‘But I’m telling you as one man to another and as a person that’s talking to lots of people I know this fellow and you know this fellow Jim, this man is not a racist.
‘He’s not steeped in racism. He has views, he has experiences and some of them I don’t agree with. But for the mob and the lynch mob now will be after Trevor, I feel sad for that.
‘But I guess in life, we all reap the whirlwind and we have the consequences of the actions and the dees and the words that we say.’
‘And so for Trevor to portray advantage point, and he will have come from a background, I am not an apologist for Trevor Sinclair. He will have come from a background in his life where he would have been faced with things like no blacks, no dogs, no Irish painted on walls, and so and so forth.
‘But to put a tweet up like that at a time when a unique moment has happened in the country disappointed me greatly.’
Jordan, who responded to Sinclair’s tweet on Thursday, criticising his colleague, did admit regret over publicly slamming him on social media.
Jordan had tweeted: ‘Trev. I’m really not sure that is an appropriate thought, let alone tweet. The country has lost a very significant person and respect and value should be the over riding sentiments not division!’
He explained: ‘And there will be a lot of people, there will be a cancel culture now, and I’ve seen it. I’ve seen it piling in on my social, I responded to Trevor with a tweet.
‘I kind of regretted it to some extent because I felt that I should have perhaps text him direct rather than respond to a tweet because and I didn’t quote tweet it because it’s not then about me replying to Trevor.
talkSPORT’s Jordan hit out at Sinclair for his comments about the Queen following her death
‘It was a reaction for me to say, oh, no Trevor this is not an appropriate thought. It’s not right for the start.
‘And it’s certainly not for the timing of it if you want to have this view, there will be a time for people to have different views about the monarchy and about our Queen. This was never the time.
‘And of course, now what we’ve got on our hands is a broadcaster and as people that know Trevor, is a culture of people saying he’s got to be fired.
‘He’s got to be cancelled. He’s got to be gotten rid of and that’s for other people to make those decisions. But we also live in a society where people are allowed to have alternative views. And if you start cancelling people, be careful what you cancel.
‘I know I haven’t spoken to him, and I’m sure that he’ll be in a state of great distress because he’ll look at the reality of what he’s put out there and think I may hold those views, but there’s no parallel universe where that was the right time to say it.
‘Everyone has to suffer the consequences of what they do and say and Trevor will suffer the consequences for this.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away aged 96 on Thursday, as she died peacefully at Balmoral
‘But I’m telling you as one man to another and as a person that’s talking to lots of people I know this fellow and you know this fellow Jim, this man is not a racist.
‘He’s not steeped in racism. He has views, he has experiences and some of them I don’t agree with. But for the mob and the lynch mob now will be after Trevor, I feel sad for that.
‘But I guess in life, we all reap the whirlwind and we have the consequences of the actions and the dees and the words that we say.’
Jordan’s thoughts were echoed by presenter Jim White, who confirmed that talkSPORT were dealing with Sinclair’s now-deleted tweet.
White said: ‘I would echo every one of the words you have just used, and I would also emphasize this morning to everyone listening that Trevor’s tweet is not endorsed by talkSPORT.
‘We know that talkSPORT is investigating the matter and that matter will be dealt with.’
WHICH SPORTING EVENTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THE QUEEN?
Football
The Premier League have announced that all of this weekend’s matches have been postponed to honour Queen Elizabeth II following her death at the age of 96 on Thursday.
The FA confirmed all football across the country would also be called off, including the EFL and opening games of the new WSL season, as well as matches in the Barclay’s Women’s Championship, Women’s FA Cup and the FA Trophy.
The National League has also cancelled their programme of fixtures for Saturday and Sunday across steps one to six and grassroots football matches in England have also been postponed to mark the death of the Queen.
The Government earlier advised that no sporting events should go ahead this weekend – or on the day of the Queen’s funeral – but left the final decision up to the individual organisations.
The Scottish FA, Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Women’s Premier League and Highland & Lowland Leagues have agreed that all professional football matches will be postponed this weekend as a mark of respect.
FA Wales have announced that games from the 9th to the 12th of September have been postponed.
Manchester United’s Europa League clash with Real Sociedad at Old Trafford and West Ham’s game against FCSB in the Europa Conference League at the London Stadium went ahead on Thursday evening with pre-match tributes.
The Northern Ireland Football League announced that Friday night’s matches between Cliftonville and Glentoran and Larne and Dungannon have been postponed.
The English Football League also confirmed that Friday night’s Championship game between Burnley and Norwich and the League Two match between Tranmere and Stockport had been postponed, with a decision on Saturday’s fixtures yet to be made.
The Irish FA has announced that all football in Northern Ireland scheduled for this weekend will not take place.
All of the Premier League 2 fixtures have been cancelled, as well as the Championship match between Burnley and Norwich.
Tonight’s League Two fixture between Tranmere Rovers and Stockport County has also been postponed.
Cricket
Friday’s play between England and South Africa men at The Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place.
The England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Friday that all cricket would resume on Saturday – including England’s Test against South Africa and England Women’s T20 match against India.
Rugby Union
Northampton announced the postponement of their Premiership Rugby Cup clash against Saracens scheduled for Thursday evening.
The Scottish Rugby Union has postponed all domestic competitive games this weekend as a mark of respect and the women’s summer Test international between Scotland and Spain on Sunday is also off.
Bristol Bears against Bath Rugby has been postponed from Friday evening to a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday, following the decision of the Premiership board. The rest of the Saturday Premiership Rugby matches will go ahead.
Rugby League
The RFL postponed Friday’s Betfred Championship fixture between Sheffield Eagles and Dewsbury Rams, but the first Super League elimination play-off between Catalans Dragons and Leeds will go ahead as it is taking place in Perpignan, France.
Further announcements about the weekend’s fixtures at all levels were set to be made ‘as soon as possible’, the governing body said.
Golf
Play was suspended for the day at the BMW PGA Championship and there will be no play on Friday.
However, organisers later revealed they are planning to restart at Wentworth this weekend, awaiting guidance from Buckingham Palace.
Formula 1
Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix will go ahead as scheduled with a minute’s silence planned before practice on Friday and another expected before the race.
Boxing
The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) stated that all fights on Friday would not go ahead as planned.
The undisputed middleweight showdown between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall at the 02 Arena has been postponed until October 15.
Tennis
The US Open held a brief tribute to the Queen during the women’s semi-finals on Thursday night in New York. With Brits Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski on either side of the net for the men’s double’s final on Friday, the pair are expected to wear black armbands to mark the Queen’s passing.
Horse racing
Horse racing was a much loved passion of the Queen. Events were cancelled for Friday and Saturday, while evening cards at Southwell and Chelmsford on Thursday were abandoned after the news of her death was confirmed around 6.30pm.
On Sunday, racing returns, led with the St Leger in a revised nine-race programme at Doncaster racecourse.
Sunday’s card at Chepstow in Wales will also proceed as normal, but Musselburgh in Scotland has been cancelled because the Queen’s body will be lying in rest in Edinburgh.
The Queen’s horse King’s Lynn has not been declared for the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh, Ireland, on Sunday, after being initially entered.
Athletics
The Great North Run, the world’s largest half-marathon, will go ahead on Sunday. Organisers cancelled its 5k sister event on Friday.
Richmond RUN-FEST has been postponed, because their route would take runners through two locations owned in part by Historic Royal Palaces and a floral tribute to Elizabeth in the Royal Borough’s Old Deer Park.
Cycling
Friday’s Tour of Britain stage was promptly cancelled and later on Thursday evening the rest of the tour, which was set to finish on the Isle of Wight on Sunday, was called off entirely.
Ice Hockey
Premier Sports Elite League Ice Hockey will begin tonight as previously planned, following a board meeting. Fixtures will start with a two-minute silence for the Queen, followed by the playing of the national anthem.
