Steve Smith, ITV rugby commentator
In October 1999, Smith described a French player, during France's World Cup game against Fiji, as a "stroppy little frog" after he threw the ball at an opponent. The Independent Television Commission ruled the remark fell foul of its programme code - Smith was reprimanded for the comment and an apology was issued on behalf of ITV Sport.
Peter Alliss, BBC golf commentator (below)
Where do you start? At some point or another Alliss has managed to offend just about everyone, leading one Internet commentator to pen an article under the title "Alliss in Bigotland". "This year," he wrote, "I stopped counting after he'd racked up irrelevant and offensive remarks about the Japanese, the Burmese, the Indians and indeed the Americans, commented on the sexual attractions of female colleagues, and wondered if the soldiers who were acting as course stewards saw the resemblance between the rough and Kosovo." His "finest" hour, though, probably came when he made "Red Indian 'tom tom' noises" after native American player Notah Begay hooked into the rough.
Tony Greig, Australian cricket commentator
When, in 1999, the camera at the Sydney Oval panned to St Mary's Church and spotted a wedding party outside, Greig noticed that the bride was Asian and the groom white Australian. "Do you think she's been flown in?" he asked on air. The bride, Marlene Cases, demanded an apology. Eventually Greig and a Channel Nine executive Gary Burns phoned Cases to apologise.
Howard Cosell, American television sports commentator
In 1983, during a broadcast of Monday Night Football, the veteran commentator declared: "Look at that little monkey run!", when Washington Redskins receiver Alvin Garrett set off. Cosell, who had supported the protests of black runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympics, claimed "monkey" was a term of affection he used for his grandchildren. Didn't lessen the outcry, though.
Rush Limbaugh, Infamous US anchorman
Highly controversial over the years. In October, 2003, he resigned from ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown after he said of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb: "I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve."
Ben Wright, CBS golf commentator
Sacked from the channel after he made comments to a newspaper about women's golf - he said "lesbians in the sport hurt women's golf", and that women golfers "are handicapped by having boobs".