Roy Hodgson, manager of the English football team, is currently responding to accusations of racism after using an old joke about an astronaut and a monkey.
Hodgson used a joke about an astronaut and a monkey who were sent to space together. Reuters explains the joke, after days of watching the monkey receive the only instructions from NASA, a restless astronaut asked when he would receive something to do. The station replied, “In 15 minutes--feed the monkey.”
The joke was supposed to express to the players the importance of getting the ball to the team’s best player, Andos Townsend, one of the team’s African American players. Townsend told reporters he was unbothered by the comment and that no offence was taken.
Hodgson expressed his own regret, “I would like to apologise if any offence has been caused by what I said at half-time. There was absolutely no intention on my part to say anything appropriate. I made this clear straight away to Andros in the dressing room [...] He has assured me and the FA he did not take any offence, and understood the point I was making in the manner I intended,” BBC Sport quotes.
An investigation is currently being conducted into the matter.