Claude Callegari has been axed from his role as a pundit for AFTV after he made a racist comment about Tottenham forward Heung-min Son.
The pundit for the popular Arsenal fan channel could be heard saying ‘DVD’s going off’ when the South Korea international was withdrawn in stoppage time of Spurs’ 2-1 win over Arsenal in Sunday’s north London derby.
‘DVD’ is a racist term directed at Asians referencing the selling of DVDs from market stalls, and it has been heard in football on previous occasions.
Son was targeted by a West Ham supporter last year who used the same racist remark and was later fined £184 and ordered to pay £110 costs after pleading guilty to a racially aggravated offence at Thames Magistrates Court.
Claude later appeared in a video with AFTV boss Robbie Lyle to explain his remark, claiming he actually said ‘another DVD will be coming out’ rather than aiming an insult towards Son.
Absolutely disgraceful and pitiful response from Robbie and Claude from AFTV. At no point did Robbie point out that Claude made the DVD comment the exact moment Son was being substituted. Glossing over racism once again. Shameful #AFTVOUT#GETOUTOFOURCLUBpic.twitter.com/GIy7dPmaq0
— Fun With Flares (@Funwithflares) July 14, 2020
However, shortly after that video was posted on social media, Lyle announced on his personal Twitter account that Claude has been removed from the channel moving forward.
He wrote: I would like to sincerely apologise for the derogatory remark heard on the AFTV livestream on Sunday, and for the response video that we put out today where we failed to apologise and take onus for the comment.
As a channel that has millions of viewers around the world, I fully recognise the power that comments made by myself or people on our platform have, and it is paramount that we do not allow comments of this nature to be made in any form.
As such, it is only appropriate that Claude is removed from the channel indefinitely. In no way do I or AFTV condone racism of any kind and it is important we take appropriate action in line with the comment made.
I have spoken with representatives at @kickitout earlier today and must reiterate that this is not an issue I would ever try to sweep under the carpet or ignore.
I would like to sincerely apologise for the derogatory remark heard on the AFTV livestream on Sunday, and for the response video that we put out today where we failed to apologise and take onus for the comment.
— Robbie Lyle (@ItsDonRobbie) July 14, 2020
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Lyle also announced that Claude will be made to undertake an education programme to ‘understand the full severity of the remark’ he made during the north London derby.
AFTV, formerly known as ArsenalFanTV, has nearly 1.2million subscribers on YouTube and has become something of a pop culture phenomenon since being founded in 2012.
The aforementioned incident occurred during a livestream watchalong of Sunday’s north London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which Spurs won 2-1 with Son and Toby Alderweireld netting for the hosts after Alexandre Lacazette’s fine opening goal for the Gunners.