Expletive 'cheat' tweet excused
Award-winning journalist Eric Young has satisfied his bosses with an apology on Twitter for an expletive-laden tweet calling for an Olympics drug cheat to hand over her shot put gold medal.
Bosses at Sky News Australia, who employ Young as a broadcaster on Prime TV, said there was no further discipline for his angry comments on the social networking site last month.
The veteran reporter, who is an old boy of Hastings' St John's College, has not tweeted since August 14 when he caused a stir with his comments directed at Belarusian Nadzeya Ostapchuk, who was stripped of her gold medal and the prize awarded to Kiwi Valerie Adams.
His tweet that attracted criticism called Ostapchuk a "f***ing cheating cow" and told her to "hand it [the gold medal] over you b****".
"Sky News views these matters very seriously. Senior management has spoken with Eric and the matter is now closed," director of news and programmes Ian Ferguson said yesterday.
Young declined to comment when contacted by APNZ.
Following criticism, Young deleted the expletive-laden tweet and followed up with the message: "Sorry if some of you didn't appreciate my passionate language but the truth is, Val had her moment stolen by a cheat."
The tweet, though it ruffled the feathers of some, was also defended as accurately reflecting the mood of New Zealanders that Adams had been robbed of her golden moment in London.
Last month Sky Television spokeswoman Kirsty Way said Young had been contracted for its Olympics coverage on Prime.
However, it has been clarified that Young is employed by Sky News Australia, which operates as a separate company.
In August last year, Young was caught giving rude finger gestures to a camera, which was broadcast on the Prime news bulletin.APNZ
