Can you joke about malaria ?

[Lambert Simnel]

After the Arsenal 0-0 ManYoo game, Alex Ferguson was quoted as saying about Chelsea: ""You never know - malaria might hit the camp. We've got to hope something like that happens."

The comment was immediatedly condemned by the Malaria Foundation International.

"It was obviously an off-the-cuff remark but it was also highly insensitive and inappropriate and an apology is due. It's making light of a killer disease and a major worldwide disaster," Dr Mary Galinski, who runs the Atlanta-based organisation, said last night. "My first reaction when I heard it was: 'Oh my God!' He may as well have said: 'Wouldn't it be great if a tsunami hit where Chelsea are playing?' People would be outraged but it's effectively the same thing."

Clearly many African players (including Chelsea's Geremi, Essien and Drogba) come from countries hard hit by malaria.

So, is this just an inappropriate and insensitive comment from an old-school Scot who thinks malaria is something that happens to funny foreigners far away, or a case of over-reaction to an off-the-cuff tounge in cheek comment ?

 

[Stapel]

People wouldn't be outraged if Sir Alex would have used the Tsunami instead.....

Dr Galinsky is a whiner.

 

[Volum]

In my eyes you can joke about almost anything. And SAF ment no harm just trying to be funny.

 

[Darkness]

just trying to be funny.

You mean that was an example of a Scottish joke?

 

[Inter4]

Total over-reaction... He ment that nothing can stop chelsea, only stuff like malaria could.

 

[Hitro]

Over-reaction, of course. A particularly worthy case of political correctness.