Racism storm hits Leeds United

Top ranking English football club Leeds United is at the centre of a race storm after a comic hired for an evening's entertainment mocked an Indian guest and joked about a recent trial at which the club's leading players were accused of assaulting an Asian student.

Hired to entertain guests at the club's awards ceremony in Leeds, comedian Stan Boardman joked about disgraced football players Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer, saying, "I hear they went to a club last night. When they came out, one said to the other, 'I could murder an Indian.'

When Indian guest Steven Thomas called him a disgrace, the comedian responded, "F...... hell, I'm being heckled by Pakis now. Why don't you go back to your curry house or shop in Bradford. Your elephant's waiting outside."

Several hundred VIP guests sat in silence as Boardman continued with a string of other jokes. Among the guests were Woodgate and Bowyer, who were cleared last December of assaulting student Safraz Najeib in Leeds city centre. Woodgate was convicted of affray.

Leeds has sent Boardman a letter saying his performance was "racist and unacceptable" and a spokesman for the club said, "We are appalled and embarrassed by his performance."

An unrepentant Boardman said on Friday, "I don't know what all the fuss is about. I tell jokes about everyone.

"This Indian guy heckled me, so I heckled him back. He called out at me, 'Sing, sing' and I said, "Is that your name? Singh?

"He insulted me by telling me to go back to Liverpool, so I told him to go back home and told him his elephant was waiting. If I am heckled, I will respond no matter who that person is."