After malicious comments about para-athletes, the broadcaster Sat.1 is taking a show by comedian Luke Mockridge off its schedule. Sat.1 has decided not to start his new show “What’s in the Box?” on September 12, a spokesman said. The “Süddeutsche Zeitung” and “Bild” had previously reported.
“The statements about disabled people and para-athletes, which many people are rightly outraged about, do not fit with our values,” the spokesman said. Mockridge quickly realized what he had done wrong with these statements. He therefore publicly and credibly apologized.
The spokesman continued: “We hope that Luke Mockridge will find a way to follow up his apology with actions and to continue to work on the issue in the interests of all people with disabilities and in the interests of all para-athletes who impressed and enchanted us with their achievements in Paris.”
In a podcast, the 35-year-old mocked athletes at the games in Paris, which end this Sunday. “There are people without legs and arms, you throw them into a pool – and whoever drowns last wins,” Mockridge said in the podcast “Die Deutschen” (The Germans), among other things. The talk was published in mid-August.
After receiving widespread criticism of his statements, he backtracked and apologized to the athletes. “Of course, it was never my intention to ridicule people with disabilities – especially during these great Paralympic Games,” Mockridge wrote on Instagram.
“From my own experience working with disabled people, I have always experienced a sharp, dark sense of humor that I have celebrated. I am truly sorry that I failed to convey that properly and that I have hurt people,” he wrote. “It also pisses me off that at the end of these Paralympic Games, the media are talking more about me and not about the tournament.”
Sharp criticism from silver medalist Niko Kappel
There is great outrage: Two-time Olympic track cycling champion Kristina Vogel, who is in a wheelchair after a training accident, commented on the statements on social media and described them as “unbelievable”. Shot put world champion and Paris silver medalist Niko Kappel explained in response to a dpa query: “Luke Mockridge and his two fellow competitors are unlucky that contempt for humanity, ignorance and bad taste are not Paralympic. Otherwise they would have been able to experience these great games as athletes and would have been hot candidates for gold.”
Before the apology, the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) had responded to the mockery by inviting Mockridge. “We would like to encourage people to watch para-sports live in order to experience the impressive achievements that people with disabilities are capable of – and to understand what an enrichment they are for our society.” The comedian explained that he was “very happy” to accept the invitation. He was looking forward to the change of perspective and to actively learning.
The president of the Berlin Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association had demanded an apology before Mockridge’s statement and spoke of an “unprecedented slip-up. This cannot be dismissed as comedy or mere stupidity,” Özcan Mutlu told the German Press Agency: “Such derogatory statements are absolutely unacceptable and deserve strong condemnation.” Mockridge should be deeply ashamed.
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