BBC sends written apology to Rangers manager Ally McCoist
The BBC has apologised to Ally McCoist following what the Rangers manager claimed was an ‘appalling’ misrepresentation of his attitude to sectarianism and football violence.
McCoist was prompted to withdraw the club’s co-operation with BBC Scotland journalists following a Reporting Scotland programme screened on Friday which appeared to show a clip of the manager smiling in response to a question about violence at Old Firm matches.
According to a tweet by The Guardian’s football writer Ewan Murray, the BBC has sent a written apology to McCoist after he took exception to what he believed to be unfair editing of the segment, and which led to the withdrawal of BBC Scotland’s customary pre and post-match radio interviews and the removal of a BBC microphone by a Rangers press officer prior to McCoist’s post-match media briefing on Saturday.
It is understood that the apology is to be read out during Tuesday's BBC Radio Scotland's coverage of Rangers vs Malmo in the Champions League. The apology will also be posted on the BBC News website.
McCoist has since commented that he is dropping his BBC ban, saying: "I was appalled by the BBC's coverage last Friday and the club will not tolerate this type of reporting. I was adamant I would not speak to the BBC until the matter was resolved to my satisfaction so I am pleased an apology has been issued today."
He continued: "I have always been generous with my time as the media play an important role in modern football but I will not tolerate being portrayed in the manner I was last week. Having worked in television for many years, with the BBC, I know exactly what was done last Friday and I was disgusted with their editing of the pre-Hearts press conference."