Malice for para-athletes: Sat.1 cancels Mockridge show

By BZ/dpa

Sat.1 has decided not to launch its new show “What’s in the Box?” on September 12, a spokesperson said. BILD and the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” had previously reported.

“The statements about disabled people and para-athletes, which many people are rightly outraged about, do not fit with our values,” said the spokesman. Mockridge quickly realized what he had done wrong with these statements. He therefore publicly and credibly apologized.

The spokesman continued: “We hope that Luke Mockridge will find a way to follow up his apology with actions and to continue to work through the issue in the interests of all people with disabilities and in the interests of all para-athletes who impressed and enchanted us with their achievements in Paris.”

Mockridge mocked Paralympic athletes

In a podcast, the 35-year-old mocked athletes at the games in Paris, which end this Sunday. “There are people without legs and arms, you throw them into a pool – and whoever drowns last wins,” Mockridge said in the podcast “Die Deutschen” (The Germans), among other things. The talk was published in mid-August.

After receiving widespread criticism of his statements, he backtracked and apologized to the athletes. “Of course, it was never my intention to ridicule people with disabilities – especially during these great Paralympic Games,” Mockridge wrote on Instagram.

“From my own experience working with disabled people, I have always encountered a sharp, black sense of humour that I have celebrated.” “I am truly sorry that I failed to convey that properly and that I have hurt people,” he wrote. “It also pisses me off that at the end of these Paralympics, media are talking more about me and not about the tournament.”

Sharp criticism from silver medalist Niko Kappel

There is great outrage: Two-time Olympic track cycling champion Kristina Vogel, who is in a wheelchair after a training accident, commented on the statements on social media and described them as “unbelievable”. Shot put world champion and Paris silver medalist Niko Kappel explained in response to a dpa query: “Luke Mockridge and his two fellow competitors are unlucky that contempt for humanity, ignorance and bad taste are not Paralympic.” Otherwise they would have been able to experience these great games as athletes and would have been hot candidates for gold.”