David Koch has been called out for making a slavery joke on the Sunrise breakfast program.
On Tuesday morning, the 62-year-old TV host was talking about Usain Bolt, when he said, "Who said slavery is over?"
It was in reference to a story about Bolt being headhunted by a European football club before he signed with the Central Coast Mariners.
The Channel Seven Sunrise panel was left stunned after host David Koch appeared to make a "joke" about slavery during a segment on Jamaican-born athlete Usain Bolt.
The on-air gaffe occurred as sports reporter Mark Beretta was reading a story - alongside co-host Sam Armytage, Natalie Barr and Koch - following reports Olympic legend Bolt could leave the Central Coast Mariners Football Club.
“So the Mariners sell him for money, they make a lot of money out of it?” Koch asked.
“It’s a win-win: You keep him, great. You sell him, so be it. That’s the tough world of professional football,” Beretta said.
“Who said slavery was over — anyway. No,” Koch said, before quickly changing the topic.
The camera quickly cut away as Natalie Barr looked on in distaste.
He would later go on Twitter via his official handle to say:
1/2 On @sunriseon7 this We were talking about how good it is for Bolt and the Mariners at news he was getting offers from European clubs.
Basically the use of the word slavery is a reference I’ve used to defend players who want to trade clubs or change jobs in Sport...
But his tweet did more harm than good as he was further attacked for not apologizing but instead trying to justify his comments.
You will recall that just last month, Sunrise was found to have breached the TV code of practice over a segment aired in March on indigenous children that was deemed "highly offensive, racist and divisive."
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Photo Credit: AFP Photo/Valery Hache