Pressure mounts on Eddie McGuire over ‘ignorant’ coin toss remarks

Sydney Swans chairman says serial offender cannot be let off the hook this time.

Collingwood president and serial offender Eddie McGuire must face real consequences for his latest on-air gaffe if AFL broadcasting’s ‘blokey, 1980s’ culture is to change, the Sydney Swans chairman says.

McGuire opted to step aside from his Saturday night football commentary duties with Fox Sports after he mocked double amputee Cynthia Banham during the coin toss for the Swans game against Adelaide on Friday.

Ms Banham, Sydney’s number one ticket holder and club ambassador who lost both legs in a plane crash in 2007, is said to be “incredibly wounded” by McGuire’s comments suggesting participants should face fines for not being able to toss the coin properly.

He was slammed by the Swans for ignorance and a lack of empathy.

The Sydney Swans are incredibly disappointed by inappropriate comments made tonight by Eddie McGuire.

— Sydney Swans (@sydneyswans) March 29, 2019

He later apologised for the “deeply regretful” remarks, but the club’s chairman Andrew Pridham has told The Sunday Mail today McGuire — who has form — must not be let off the hook so easily this time.

“There needs to be strong action rather than just words,” Pridham said.

“I’m not passing judgment on what the action should be, because I don’t know. But I think the community generally demands consequences when people do something that is wrong.

Sydney Swans ambassador Cynthia Banham tosses the coin during the round two AFL match between the Sydney Swans and the Adelaide Crows at the SCG.

“The AFL and the media I think do have a poor track record where they do let things slide or just paper over them and they don’t get dealt with.

“They just don’t get it. It’s a really blokey culture and you just can’t do that anymore.”

McGuire infamously likened Swans star Adam Goodes to the gorilla in King Kong and offered $50,000 for AFL writer Caroline Wilson to stay under iced water.

Wilson told Melbourne’s 3AW the AFL was within its rights to take action against the Collingwood president and at “the very least” he should face some kind of financial penalty.

Eddie McGuire steps down from AFL hosting after controversial comments:@jeffreys_mike: I don’t understand what he was thinking, did he lose his mind? His comments were so careless. Then he says ‘I’m sorry if you were offended’.

MORE: https://t.co/pglu8M2Lhb #thefrontpage pic.twitter.com/3EP3HrBHkw

— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) March 30, 2019

Pridham has suggested McGuire’s roles as club president and commentator was a “conflict” that needed to be examined.

“I think that’s the mother of the issue,” Pridham told Nine Newspapers.

“I don’t know how he does it to be honest, and I think it’s something the game should consider and I’m sure he should consider.”

McGuire’s return to the air for Fox Sports is unknown.

— with AAP