British businessman turned BBC TV star Alan Sugar came under fire Wednesday after tweeting a picture of the Senegal national football team with the caption "I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella".
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UK TV star Alan Sugar accused of racism over World Cup tweet
British businessman turned BBC TV star Alan Sugar came under fire Wednesday after tweeting a picture of the Senegal national football team with the caption "I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella".
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The Apprentice presenter took down the post after being accused of racism, writing: "Seems it has been interpreted in the wrong way as offensive by a few people... frankly I can't see that but I think it's funny."
Alongside the picture of the Senegal team, Sugar also posted images of sunglasses and handbags for sale on a beach.
Actress Kelechi Okafor tweeted that Sugar was "constructing this joke on the premise that all black people look alike, are poor and cannot achieve social mobility.
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"This is why I say that racism is too deeply ingrained within the British psyche for certain people to even realise how damaging and hurtful their 'jokes' are."
BBC journalist Babita Sharma added: "A shocking, vile tweet that you take a screen grab of because you know it will soon be deleted."
Sugar responded: "If it so vile why have you retweeted it. You make me sick."
Sugar made his fortune as founder of electronics company Amstrad, and is estimated to be worth £1.15 billion ($1.5 billion, 1.3 billion euros).
He was chairman of Premier League club Tottenham between 1991 and 2001, and has presented the British version of The Apprentice since 2005.
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Labour prime minister Gordon Brown made Sugar, 71, a lord in 2009, but he left the party in 2015, citing its "negative business policies".
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