"Homophobic": Call for advertisers to boycott top football show

Politician Sylvana Simons is calling on advertisers to boycott RTL7 football show Voetbal Inside. In a Facebook post the Bij1 party leader calls the show homophobic, sexist and racist, NU.nl reports.

Voetbal Inside "has shown its most sexist and racist side for years", according to Simons. "René van der Gijp is disgusted by gay sex ('very rancid') and by the idea of seeing two men get married. That must be a horrible thing to hear when your parents watch TV and you still want to come out of the closet yourself", Simons said. "Johan Derksen calls Gay Pride, the festival and protest for LGBTI emancipation, 'a flower parade' of 'gentlemen with a feather in their ass'."

Simons is therefore calling on advertisers to stop sponsoring the top football show. "Do these brands also want to make homophobia possible? If not, why do these brands still sponsor Voetbal Inside?"

Documentary maker Sunny Bergman also shared this message on her Facebook page.

Both Voetbal Inside presenters have since responded to Simons' call.

"I do not take it seriously at all", Derksen said to the Volksrkant. "TV channels are queuing up to offer us a new contract. I can't imagine that one of us will watch our words because of this." Derksen also made headlines last year when he called Simons a monkey.

Van der Gijp told RTL Boulevard that if people are annoyed by how they speak, they should just turn off their television. "But if RTL says: you have to stop this, I will do so."