Foxtel CEO apologises to Jewish leaders after Nazi salute backlash
Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany today met with David Ossip, President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, and issued a “full and unreserved apology” after a photo surfaced showing Delany performing a Nazi salute.
Patrick Delany Pic: “X”
The image surfaced recently from 2024-15 when Delany was CEO of Fox Sports. The gesture, a disturbing reminder of one of history’s darkest periods, has drawn significant backlash, particularly from Jewish communities and organizations.
The Board acknowledged Delany’s apology, emphasizing his understanding of the offence caused. “Patrick made clear that, regardless of the context in which the salute was performed, he understood the offence and hurt that the gesture causes Jewish Australians and the many Australians whose family members were killed or injured fighting the Nazis during World War II,” stated the Board. They also recognized Delany’s and Lachlan Murdoch’s strong and unequivocal stance against antisemitism in Australia over the past 10 months.
The image, which was first published by the news outlet ‘Crikey’, shows Delany making the offensive gesture while also imitating Adolf Hitler. Delany explained that the gesture was intended to demonstrate a similarity between the Nazi salute and a gesture used by Western Sydney Wanderers fans during A-League matches. However, the explanation did little to quell the outrage.
Delany has expressed deep regret over the incident, stating, “I am very sorry for my actions and sincerely apologize to those who have been hurt or offended, especially the members of the Jewish community.” He further emphasized that the image was inconsistent with his values an.
Mr. Delany has reportedly also reached out to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry and planned to meet with its Co-Chief Executive Officer, Alex Ryvchin, in the coming days.
While accepting the apology, Jewish leaders have highlighted the importance of such incidents serving as reminders of the consequences of unchecked hatred. “At this time of heightened antisemitism, we hope that this incident reinforces the need to educate our next generation about the atrocities perpetrated in service of the evil Nazi ideology,” the Board stated.
