Kuba Wojewodzki: photo - wikipedia
The comments, which the presenters say were in keeping with the tone of their “satirical” show, had prompted a complaint from Ukraine's Foreign Ministry.
Kuba Wojewodzki and Michal Figurski, hosts of the show on commercial station Radio Eska, made the controversial remarks in the wake of Ukraine's 2-1 victory against Sweden on 11 June in the Euro 2012 tournament.
In reference to the match, Wojewodzki quipped to his co-host that after the game, he “behaved like a true Pole and chucked out his Ukrainian.”
Figurski replied that this was “a good idea,” and that “out of spite, I won't pay her today,”
Wojewodzki went on to say that if his [Ukrainian] had been “a bit prettier he would have raped her anyway.”
Following the conclusion of the Media Ethics Council (REM) of the Association of Polish Journalists, the matter will now be taken up by Poland's National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT).
Racism
As alluded to in the Media Ethics Council's statement, this is not the first time that the presenters have been accused of xenophobia and racism..
In October 2011, Radio Eska was fined 50,000 zloty (11,700 euro) in connection with remarks made during an edition of the presenters' show from earlier that year.
“Let's call the black man,” it was announced in the show, prior to interviewing a spokesman for Poland's Main Road Transport Inspectorate who was half-Indian.
The presenters added that that particular edition of the show was sponsored by the Ku Klux Klan.
A further controversial incident occurred when Wojewodzki was co-hosting an episode of the Polish edition of the X-Factor talent-finding show, during which the presenter made so-called jokes about cannibalism to a contestant of Nigerian background.
Both Wojewodzki and Figurski have apologised for the current Ukrainian remarks, but defended their behaviour as being satirical. (pg/nh)