Ladbrokes apologises for Dave Clark tweet
Bookmaker Ladbrokes has been condemned for its tweet mocking Sky Sports presenter and Parkinson's sufferer Dave Clark.
The presenter, who is currently anchoring Sky Sports' coverage of the William Hill World Championship at Alexandra Palace, was diagnosed with the disease six years ago.
In a now-deleted tweet, Ladbrokes uploaded a photo of the presenter and wrote: "Dave Clark looks like he's caught the whiff of something nasty & wants to murder the person who's caused it...#LoveTheDarts."
Clark responded on Thursday evening with a screen grab of Ladbrokes' post alongside the message: "That'll be the chronic degenerative neurological condition that will eventually rob me of the ability to walk, talk and smile @Ladbrokes #parkinsons".
Thank you so much for all the amazing messages. I have to admit I had a little tear in my eye reading some of them. Merry Christmas to one and all. Just had this from @Ladbrokes https://t.co/BDFCv52Vtl
— Dave Clark (@DaveClarkTV) December 22, 2017
The gambling firm's tweet caused uproar on social media, with former England and Newcastle striker Alan Shearer among those expressing outrage.
The 47-year-old quoted Clark's tweet and wrote: "Wow! Two people tweeting. One is a gentleman, who inspires us all. The other a little prat on a keyboard hoping for a cheap laugh. I know who I stand with. You're an inspiration Dave. F*** them. Keep doing yourself and everyone else proud. ð??ð?» #parkinsons #hero".
Ladbrokes posted an apology on Friday morning for its "completely ill-judged, and inappropriate tweet" and vowed to make a donation to the support and research charity Parkinson's UK.
Joanna Wright, the wife of Peter Wright, the number two seed at Alexandra Palace, promised to donate the shirt and trousers her husband wore in his first-round victory for auction to raise further funds for the charity.
It is not the first time Ladbrokes has been subjected to a social media backlash over a post from its Twitter account.
In September the bookmaker apologised to Burnley for "very poorly conceived tweets" sent about ex-Leeds players Chris Wood and Charlie Taylor during a Carabao Cup tie between the two clubs.
Ladbrokes, Burnley's official UK betting partner, had sent a message addressed to Wood and Taylor, followed by an image of a raised middle finger and the words: "Yours sincerely, Leeds fans #LUFC."
