Eddie McGuire Issues Second Apology For Saying He Wanted To Drown A Woman

    "It was the joke of the day," said Collingwood AFL club president Eddie McGuire.

    Brad Esposito
    by Brad Esposito

    BuzzFeed News Reporter, Australia

    UPDATE: Collingwood AFL club has uploaded a full video apology from club president Eddie McGuire to its website.

    collingwoodfc.com.au

    In it, McGuire apologises for comments he made last week on Triple M radio, saying he'd like to see sports journalist Caroline Wilson drowned.

    "In the last 24 hours and particularly this morning, I've seen the impact of the comments on [Caroline]," he says.

    "No person should ever feel uneasy or threatened in football's family and for that I am deeply sorry and I apologise unreservedly to Caroline for putting her in that position."

    "I'm really disappointed that I made remarks that are at odds with my views on the place of women in modern Australia."

    The second apology comes after pressure from club sponsors begins to mount, with Holden Australia confirming it is reviewing its relationship with Collingwood Football Club.

    Holden @holden_aus

    @Mister_Ed_2/2 Holden is engaging with Collingwood to directly express our disappointment and discuss the future of our sponsorship - Lauren

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    Eddie McGuire appeared on breakfast TV on Monday morning, explaining comments on radio last week in which he insinuated he'd like to see journalist Caroline Wilson drowned.

    Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

    McGuire was talking live on Triple M from the AFL's "Big Freeze" event last Monday when he made the joke about holding Wilson under water. The fundraiser, which raised money for motor neurone disease, involved celebrities sliding into a pool of ice-cold water.

    “I reckon we should start the campaign for a one-person slide next year,” McGuire said. “Caroline Wilson. And I’ll put in 10 grand straight away … make it 20.”

    “And if she stays under, 50.”

    McGuire then joked about charging “$10,000 for everyone to stand around the outside and bomb her”.

    “I’ll actually jump in and make sure she doesn’t [come up from the water] – I’ll hold her under,” said ex-AFL coach and commentator, Danny Frawley.

    The controversial remarks blew up social media yesterday after the segment was uploaded to Soundcloud.

    This morning, McGuire said: "To put it into context of the day, everyone was joking. In fact I've just received audio from the 3AW commentary box with Caroline Wilson in there joking with her colleagues the exact same jokes."

    The Today Show @TheTodayShow

    "Anything that can be perceived as promulgating domestic violence is abhorrent." - Eddie McGuire #9Today https://t.co/Xr5mmTI8xK

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    "It was the joke of the day because that's what everyone was saying, I was copping it as well."

    “However, it was clearly banter, but on White Ribbon weekend, we have to be ever-vigilant in stamping out anything that could be misconstrued one iota of supporting the abhorrent act of domestic violence.”

    However, Wilson spoke on 3AW radio this morning and said she "wasn't happy" with the comments.

    "I found out about them last Monday night, they were relayed to me by a friend at Channel 9," she said.

    "It's such a pity that they needed to [use] that really vicious language."

    "I don't accept that it was playful banter, I've gotta' say."

    Ex-AFL coach and commentator Danny Frawley apologised on Fox Sport's Fox Footy last night, and again this morning, calling the comments "insensitive" and "inappropriate."

    theoutersanctum @outersanctum01

    Danny Frawley the first to speak out regarding Caroline Wilson remarks. This screened on @FOXFOOTY just now.

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