Paralympic Games: Frankie Boyle’s Twitter comments draw criticism

Channel 4 comic Frankie Boyle has courted controversy once more with a series of poor-taste online comments about the opening of the Paralympics which his station is championing.

His comments were condemned by many Twitter users, including Olympic silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead who said: “Frankie Boyle isn’t funny.” The comedian joked that the Saudi Arabian team at the competition are “mainly thieves”, referring to how some criminals have had their hands removed for stealing.

In another message he posted to Twitter during the opening ceremony, he said: “I’m going down to the blind football to shout that the referee’s a deaf b******.”

In 2009 the Scot was censured by the BBC Trust for comments about Olympic swimmer Rebecca Adlington.

His remarks, made during an edition of the Mock The Week TV programme, were ruled to be offensive but no further action was taken.