Sky Sports News presenter Rob Wotton has been slammed after an interview with Ireland player Chloe Mustaki, where he suggested that the Republic of Ireland team "need education".
The question came after a video emerged of members of the team singing a pro-IRA song while celebrating their World Cup qualification. The Ireland women's team were singing after securing their place with a 1-0 victory over Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday night.
But the excitement was soon hit with controversy after a video emerged of the players singing 'Up the Ra' as part of the Wolfe Tones song Celtic Symphony. Ireland manager Vera Pauw, the FAI and a number of players came out quickly to apologise for the incident.
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While the team were quick to take responsibility for their actions, an interview by Sky Sports News presenter Rob Wotton with player Chloe Mustaki has been severely criticised by viewers.
Wotton first asked Mustaki if she wanted to apologise for the players singing the song.
"Yeah, absolutely, look, we're all really sorry here in Dublin," said Mustaki.
"It was obviously a massive lapse in judgement on our end, you know, lots going on when the final whistle went and we absolutely didn't mean to cause any hurt on our end so we do really apologise for that, absolutely."
But many viewers were angered when Wotton went to ask: "Does it highlight the need for education on issues like this? Is that something you'd be for?"
Mustaki replied: "I don't really think so. I think we need to learn in these moments to be better and to do better.
"You know, we've all been brought up knowing a lot about Irish history.
"So, we just need to be better in moments like this, and we recognise that absolutely on our end."
One person commented on social media: "Think we can all agree that the singing was ill-judged but the absolute irony overload here of a British person implying that an Irish person needs to be educated on Anglo-Irish history when their whole education system ignores it."
Another said: "An English man asking an Irish woman if she needs to be educated on Irish history has to be one of the most ironic things of all time."
Perhaps the irony is more powerful for the fact that Wotton has previously been found wanting when it comes to the sovereign status of the Republic of Ireland.
When interviewing former Munster and Ireland rugby star Brian Carney in 2019, Wotton introduced him as being a former star for the Great Britain Lions.
Carney, who was being interviewed about the return of the Lions tour, was quick to correct the record.
He said: "Can we start with a geography lesson and a sovereignty lesson as well, please? It's Great Britain and Ireland.
"Unless they've changed it and haven't given me the memo.
"I saw a quote included from the Irish Rugby League chairman yesterday welcoming the return of Great Britain and Ireland.
"He was the only person in the whole of the press release to reference the fact that an independent country, Ireland, is also part of this makeup and unless that's changed I'm going to go with Great Britain and Ireland."
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