TV Pundit sparks World Cup fury with racist commentary on Ngoy
Former Yugoslavia striker Rade Bogdanovic and Serbian public broadcaster RTS have both issued official apologies following widespread condemnation of a racist remark aimed at Belgian defender Nathan Ngoy during a live World Cup broadcast.
Serbian television analyst Rade Bogdanovic sparked global outrage during Sunday’s live World Cup broadcast of the Group G match between Belgium and Iran.
While analyzing the 66th-minute red card issued to Belgian defender Nathan Ngoy, the 56-year-old former Atletico Madrid forward claimed on public broadcaster RTS that Black players fundamentally lack the mental concentration to play beyond 60 to 80 minutes.
Despite immediate backlash and severe condemnation across social media networks, RTS drew further criticism by reinstating Bogdanovic for the Argentina versus Austria fixture the following evening.
The decision to keep him on the air intensified public scrutiny, prompting human rights groups and football fans to question the network’s stance on discrimination during a high-profile international tournament.
Following intense pressure, Bogdanovic issued an official statement to Reuters expressing his sincere apologies for the remarks regarding Black football players.
The RTS management board subsequently issued an official corporate apology, clarifying that Bogdanovic is an independent expert consultant rather than a staff employee, while expressing deep regret for broadcasting comments targeting a specific race.
