Fox Sports Netherlands apologizes for antisemitic chants at live soccer game
With most professional sports matches occurring in empty stadiums due to the coronavirus pandemic, many TV stations are using audience soundtracks while broadcasting games.
Ajax soccer fans celebrating the club’s 30th Dutch national championship in 2011. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
During a Dutch soccer game on Sunday, a FOX Sports Netherlands live broadcast of a game between Amsterdam’s Ajax and a team from the Dutch city of Groningen included a recording from a past game that included the popular chant “Whoever doesn’t jump is a Jew.”
Ajax fans historically refer to themselves as the “Jews,” a nickname that has often led to antisemitic chanting by opposing fans.
The outlet apologized for including the soundtrack during its broadcast of the game, which FC Groningen won 1-0 at the Hitachi Capital Mobility Stadium in Groningen.
“Due to human error during the match, during the first halftime a certain chant was heard that should not have been played. The fragment was removed,” tweeted FOX Sports Netherlands. “We offer our sincere apologies and are looking into how this could have happened and how to make sure it does not recur.”
JNS
