Former Chelsea footballer Jason Cundy says women’s voices too ‘high-pitched’ to commentate football matches
Piers Morgan brands ex-footballer 'sexist pig'
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Chelsea footballer Jason Cundy has said women’s voices are too high-pitched to commentate football matches.
Cundy, who presents The Sports Bar on Talksport and also Chelsea TV, became embroiled in a row with Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain.
Morgan, who presents Good Morning Britain, branded the ex-footballer a “sexist pig” for saying he prefers men to be commentators.
Cundy’s comments come after Vicki Sparks made history by becoming the first ever woman to commentate live on a World Cup game.
The BBC Sport journalist took to the mic alongside co-commentator Martin Keown for Portugal’s game against Morocco last week.
“I prefer to hear a male voice when watching football – for 90 minutes of hearing a high pitched tone isn’t really what I would like to hear – and when there is a moment of drama as there often is in football, that moment actually I think needs to be done with a slightly lower voice.”
Morgan, who is also editor-at-large of the US Mail Online, said: “My only criteria, Jason, is not that they’re male or female, it’s, ‘Do they know what they’re talking about?’
“Your annoyance appears to be that they have too pitchy voices, even though yours is just as pitchy, which seems to make you a sexist pig?!”
Cundy, who also played for Tottenham Hotspur, sought to defend his view.
“Listen it’s nothing to do with her insight, the way she delivers, or her knowledge, or her ability to do the job. It’s the voice.
"For 90 minutes I would rather prefer to listen to a male voice when I’m watching football.
“I consume a lot of football – to listen to that voice. It’s like, would you rather listen to Ed Sheeran or Celine Dion? We all have a choice.”
Morgan hit back: “Jason, you’re sounding ridiculous!”
Cundy’s remarks have sparked outrage on Twitter – with people accusing him of sexism.
“If any woman knows what she is talking about, has the knowledge about the game, then nothing, absolutely nothing should stop her from commentating. Its as simple as that,” said one Twitter user.
“This is a case of a man saying he doesn’t want to listen to a woman because she’s a woman. Which is undeniably sexist,” added journalist Rebecca Reid.
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