AN SDLP assembly member has said a "refusal by the BBC to own up and apologise for their error only serves to add insult to injury".
Justin McNulty was last night the latest politician to join calls for the broadcaster to apologise for airing a clip during its Newsline TV programme, which appeared to include a sectarian slogan.
He said he had written to the director of BBC NI "urging them to hold their hands up and admit their mistake".
It comes after a report on the 6.30pm show on Wednesday focused on the Uefa Super Cup match at Windsor Park in south Belfast between Premier League side Chelsea and Spain's Villareal.
The piece ahead of the 8pm kick-off featured fans in the Sandy Row area, close to the stadium.
Among scenes of Chelsea fans drinking, there was a shot of revellers in a nearby pavilion, with the narration: "Nearby, a more familiar song was being sung."
The film featured fans singing Sweet Caroline, the Neil Diamond song adopted by Northern Ireland supporters, before some fans shouted "F*** the Pope".
The clip was widely condemned on social media.
On Thursday, Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey said the BBC should "apologise" for the incident which had caused "considerable offence".
Mr McNulty has now also hit out at the "clearly sectarian and highly offensive" chanting broadcast.
"The BBC must act quickly and decisively to distance themselves from the sectarianism contained within their broadcast," he said.
"BBC bosses claiming that there was nothing wrong with the broadcast and downplaying the incident is totally unacceptable.
"Instead of trying to cover their own backs, they should ditch the arrogance, apologise unreservedly, and commit to reviewing the practice that allowed this to happen in the first place - I will be meeting with BBC to tell them exactly that.
"What should have been a good news day, focussing on a wonderful sporting occasion that brought colour, excitement, and some of the world’s greatest soccer players to Belfast, has instead been tainted by naked sectarianism.
"A refusal by the BBC to own up and apologise for their error only serves to add insult to injury."
The Irish News asked the broadcasting regulator Ofcom if it had received any complaints about the footage. But a spokeswoman said "Ofcom can only consider a complaint after it has been made to the BBC first".
The BBC was also asked how many complaints it has received.
However, a spokeswoman last night said: "The BBC publish complaints if they reach over 100 in the fortnightly complaints bulletin".
Those who have complained to the corporation have also said they are unhappy with the response issued by the BBC.
One man, who shared the response with the Irish News, accused the BBC of "cowardly obfuscation and hand washing".
