Radio show host John Burns cannot recall comments relating to Bachar Houli vilification claimsJesse Hogan
The Age
April 27, 2015 - 4:18PM The co-host of Melbourne's most popular radio show, John Burns, says he does not recall labelling Richmond footballer Bachar Houli a terrorist at the MCG at the weekend - but has apologised if he did, in fact, do so.
Burns was asked on his 3AW radio show on Monday morning if he was the "prominent media figure" referred to in the Herald Sun report about the alleged incident. He replied: "No, it wasn't me . . . certainly not."
By the afternoon, however, Burns confirmed he had been the subject of a allegation from a senior Richmond staff member that Burns had called Houli, a devout Muslim with a prominent beard, a terrorist. The staff member was sitting in front of Burns on level two of the MCG outside the Olympic Room, in which both were attending a function run by the Tigers on Friday night.
"We were at a football match, we were in the grandstand, we'd had a very pleasant evening . . . and a conversation was taking place between me and a person that I happened to be with, catching up with stuff we were talking about prior to the game . . . and a person in front of me turned around and said 'What did you say?'," Burns told 3AW, which is part-owned by Fairfax Media, the owner of this website.
"I wasn't aware of having said anything, really, and I don't recall what I said, but he alleged I made a comment that was offensive. I don't recall that comment."
Burns confirmed he had been drinking before the incident but insisted he was "certainly not" drunk.
"It was a social event. There was a dinner beforehand. I don't think I was unduly affected by liquor at all. I was there to enjoy the game," he said.
Burns said he was not "barracking or yelling out or anything like that" at the time of the incident and was "quite calm". He said he had subsequently spoken to his conversation partner from Friday night and declared "that person . . . has said he did not hear me say it".
Asked about a scenario in which he had, in fact, called Houli a terrorist, Burns said "absolutely" that would have been inappropriate, and he would convey those sentiments to Houli and the Tigers.
"I would apologise profusely to both of them and tell them I'd be absolutely mortified if I said something like that. It's, in my view, totally out of character and it's not something that I'd normally say at the football," he said.
"I cannot recall saying anything that I intended to be offensive to anybody on the side of [the fence at] the game."
Burns said he had spoke to Houli at previous football functions and considered him to be "just a delightful young man".
Richmond investigated the incident. The club said they acknowledged Burns' statement and accepted his apology, and therefore considered the matter closed. They reiterated their full support for the staff member who raised the issue and reiterated that they accept "his version of events".
Burns disagreed that the latter suggested Richmond did not believe Burns' account of the incident.
"They're not mutually exclusive, those statements," he said.
"I don't remember . . . having made such a comment. He said that I did; what he heard I don't know. I don't remember what the comment was, I don't remember making it.
"On the basis that he says I did, I can't deny what he heard, but if I said something that was offensive that was mortifying."
While the Tigers said they considered the matter closed Burns said he had no qualms with the AFL integrity unit continuing its investigation, believing it was compelled to do so.
"I've apologised for anything I might've done that's offended anybody, but I do not recall anything at all that I intended to be offensive," he said.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/radio-show-host-john-burns-cannot-recall-comments-relating-to-bachar-houli-vilification-claims-20150427-1mudj6.html
