TORONTO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- After facing an uproar from the public for saying a Chinese swimmer at the Rio Olympics "died like a pig," Canadian sport commentator Byron MacDonald and his employer Canada's national broadcaster CBC apologized for the comment.
MacDonald made the insult after the women's 4 X 200m freestyle relay final, during which China's Ai Yanhan contributed to making her team only place fourth.
"The little 14-year-old from China dropped the ball, baby. Too excited, went out like stink, died like a pig. Thanks for that," MacDonald said, believing the mic had been turned off.
Complaints immediately started to fly in through Twitter, with many listeners shocked that such an obscene comment was made in public.
"Byron MacDonald should resign or at least apologize @CBCOlympics That's not the Olympic spirit," Twitter user Peter Lowe said.
CBC immediately issued a statement saying "We apologize the comment on a swim performance made it to air. It was an unfortunate choice of words -- we're sorry it happened."
MacDonald apologized in person on Thursday afternoon, saying "I would like to take a moment to apologize for a comment that I made last night after the women's relay ... there was no disrespect intended and I'm very sorry."