Brian Moore's on-air 'bulimia' comment triggers storm on Twitter

BBC commentator Brian Moore has upset a great deal of people on Twitter after light-heartedly questioning if an Irish player vomiting on the pitch was the result of 'bulimia'.

Ireland and France were fighting it out to challenge England for the Six Nations Championship in the final game of the elongated 2020 season.

Around the 20-minute mark cameras showed Irish loosehead Cian Healy vomiting on the pitch, possibly as the result of a head collision. Minutes later he would be removed for a HIA, which he ultimately passed.

While footage of Healy rolled, former England hooker Moore, who has carved out a career as an outspoken rugby pundit, columnist and commentator since his retirement in the 1990s, suggested the vomiting may have been the result of bulimia.

While clearly intended as a light-hearted comment, it was enough to trigger Twitter. "That was a stupid comment by Brian Moore. Disappointing," wrote one poster.

"Brian Moore has just made a joke about bulimia live on BBC while commenting on #FRAvIRE. Disgraceful behaviour" wrote one outraged Tweeter.

"Please tell me the BBC Sport commentator did not just make a “bulimia” joke because Cian Healy was making himself sick on pitch?" said another.

There were many more in that vein.

Recently former England cricketer Freddy Flintoff revealed that he had secretly battled bulimia during his career as a professional cricketer.

Bulimia is described as an emotional disorder characterized by a distorted body image and an obsessive desire to lose weight, in which bouts of extreme overeating are followed by fasting or self-induced vomiting or purging.