Former international striker Rade Bogdanovic has apologised for making a racist slur about black players while working as a TV pundit covering the World Cup.
The 56-year-old made the comments while analysing Nathan Ngoy’s sending-off in the second half of Belgium’s 0-0 draw with Iran in Group G.
The centre back hauled down Mehdi Taremi after he had underhit a backpass to Red Devils goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, earning him a straight red card.
‘I’m really not racist - but’ TV pundit’s slur causes major backlash
Bogdanovic, whose former clubs include Atletico Madrid and Werder Bremen, is working as a pundit on Serbian public broadcaster RTS during the World Cup.
The former forward was on duty for Belgium’s clash with Iran, which kicked-off at 8pm BST on Sunday, June 21, and was discussing Ngoy’s 67th-minute red card when he made the remark later that evening.
Bogdanovic, who played three times for Yugoslavia in the late 1990s, said: “I have always said those players - and I’m really not racist - but black players lack the concentration to last more than 60 to 80 minutes. When we played, we sometimes had to protect our own players to stop them making mistakes.”
The comments were immediately challenged by the programme’s host, but Bogdanovic doubled down, adding “the majority lack concentration.”
His remarks sparked a backlash on social media but he was retained by RTS for their coverage of Argentina’s clash with Austria the following evening.
Both Bogdanovic and the broadcaster have apologised, with the pundit saying in a statement to Reuters: “I sincerely apologise for my statement regarding black football players."
Meanwhile, RTS stated that the former international - ranked at 22nd in FourFourTwo's list of the most expensive players of the 1990s - was not an employee of theirs, but has been “engaged as an expert commentator for the duration of the tournament.”
They added: “We would like to take this opportunity to apologise, as a broadcaster, for the statement made in our programme concerning members of a particular race.”
Bogdanovic played for clubs in several countries during a journeyman career, including stints in Japan, South Korea and Abu Dhabi.
Ngoy was suspended for Belgium’s Group G finale against New Zealand, which Rudi Garcia’s men won 5-1 to qualify for the knockout stage as group winners. He returned to the squad for the dramatic 3-2 extra-time win over Senegal in the last 32 and was an unused substitute.
