World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier
Scandal in live stream: Commentator calls Canadian athlete “slut”
Canadian figure skating pair Megan Duhamel and Eric Redford at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
© Picture Alliance
Scandal at the World Figure Skating Championships in Montpellier: Two commentators describe Canadian Megan Duhamel as a “slut”. The World Federation has already responded.
Megan Duhamel is one of the most successful figure skaters in her country. During her active career, the Canadian became the world champion twice and the Olympic champion in pair skating once.
Duhamel isn’t participating as an active athlete at the World Figure Skating Championships, which is taking place in Montpellier, France, since Monday—but she was the focus of a scandal: two commentators, Simon Reid, 74, and Nicky Slater, 63, The 36-year-old was audibly referred to in the live stream of the World Cup as “the bitch from Canada”. Duhamel is part of the coaching team for the tournament silver medalist Japanese skating pair Riku Miura/Ryoichi Kihara.
The World Figure Skating Union (ISU) reacted quickly and with immediate effect separated the two commentators. “ISU strongly condemns the discriminatory statements. We are shocked by their language,” the association said in a statement. Journalists will never be used again at ISU events.
The conversation between the two can be clearly heard in the video:
“Okay, we’ll see if she likes it when she tweets.”
“Don’t worry about him.”
“We didn’t name him. I almost did. We didn’t mention him as one of the coaches.” “Bitch from Canada.”
Megan Duhamel Is Forgiving
A filthy laugh follows. The fact that the two weren’t even aware that the microphone was still on can’t be an excuse: even such old man talk is unacceptable from the screen.
Finally: As Simon Reed announced on Twitter, he’s already apologized to the Canadian. And Megan Duhamel, of all athletes, acknowledged. In a Twitter statement, she wrote: “I have received a personal apology from Simon Reed and the ISU President and I do not think a public apology is necessary at this time. I appreciate and respect their apology.”
