Italian commentators suspended over sexist, racist remarks at World Aquatics Champs

Italian state broadcaster RAI said on Monday two commentators were suspended over sexist and racist remarks made during a women's synchronised diving event at the World Aquatics Championships in Japan. 

Commentating on the event for internet streaming channel RaiPlay 2, Lorenzo Leonarduzzi and Massimiliano Mazzucchi remarked on the divers' physical appearance.

It follows an incident, also in Italy, earlier this month when a junior cultural minister publicly boasted of his many sexual conquests and praised male genitalia.

Sky Italia also suspended two of its Formula 1 commentators over sexist comments about a young woman who appeared in video during the Spanish Grand Prix.

READ | Schoenmaker, Van Niekerk, Schoeman lead strong SA swimming contingent at World Champs in Japan.

Among the salacious remarks made by the commentators at the championships in Fukuoka this week, comments were exchanged on how "big" some of the divers were, adding that "anyway, they're all the same size in bed".

Reuters reported other vulgarities, untranslatable for publication, referred to women's willingness to have sex.

They also made fun of the Chinese accent when speaking Italian.  

Following complaints from viewers, the duo have since been sent home from Fukuoka over what RAI chief executive Roberto Sergio, who said disciplinary procedure had been actioned, called "bar jokes" that had no place on public service television.

In a letter to daily Corriere della Sera, Leonarduzzi wrote that he was unaware that he had been on air at the time and that his remarks did not reflect his true opinions.

Leonarduzzi had previously been criticised in 2020 over a sexist joke made on air about the surname of an Estonian rally driver.

In 2018, RAI also had to reprimand