MotoGP found itself in the middle of an unwanted controversy recently when it aired a distorted map of India during one of its recent broadcasts in the ongoing Indian Grand Prix. The international motorsport organization, known for its high-speed motorcycle races, found itself in hot water after the inaccurate representation of India's geographical boundaries.
The incident occurred during a live broadcast when MotoGP used a map of India in which the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were included. This distortion sparked outrage among viewers and raised concerns about the accuracy of geographical depictions in sports broadcasts. However, they have now issued an apology for it on their social media handle.
"We'd like to apologise to our fans in India for the map shown earlier as part of the MotoGP broadcast. It is never our intent to make any statement other than that of support and appreciation for our host country. We're excited to be able to enjoy the IndianOil Grand Prix of India with you and we're loving our first taste of Buddh International Circuit," they said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Punjabi Singer Shubh also shared a distorted map of India recently
MotoGP promptly acknowledged the error and issued an official apology to its viewers and the Indian audience. The organization expressed regret for any offence caused and assured the public that such inaccuracies would not be repeated in the future. The event is being held at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC).
Geopolitical issues related to maps and borders are sensitive matters, and any inaccuracies can lead to diplomatic tensions. Recently, Popular Punjabi singer Shubh found himself in the middle of a controversy when he shared a distorted map of India in which Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir and North-East were omitted.
Coming back to MotoGP’s controversy, as viewers and fans of motorsport, we hope that this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of accurate geographical representations in sports and media, fostering a sense of responsibility among organizations to ensure such errors do not recur.
Here’s how fans reacted:
galti man lia,, jaa maaf kar dia
— Sahu Ji (@WeTheSahuJi) September 22, 2023
They have accepted their mistake and have taken upon themselves to correct it next time around. Whats the fuss? Why are we threatening them in the comments?
— V (@VeezyEZ) September 22, 2023
Sad world we live in searching for something to complain. it's a mistake things happen
— Saul Goodman (@SaulGoo67871556) September 22, 2023
next time pure akhand bharat ka map lagana bhai
— r/Idc. (@dudeitsokay) September 22, 2023
Haa theek hai, aage se mt krna aisa, ja chala le bike or dhyaan se chaiyo gir mt jaiyo. 🗿
— Dev Daas (@sastaDevDaas) September 22, 2023
Apology accepted , let's move on And Enjoy what we all love ... pure racing !
— TheDemonKing (@venkatesh_ts95) September 22, 2023
Lets gooo !!! #IndianGP
I don't care about your fans.
— J V NAIDU (@JVNAIDU) September 22, 2023
Apologies to 1.4 billion Bhāratīya's.
The person responsible for the distorted map must be sacked.
Daalne se pahle 100 baar sochke daalde nahi toh Phategi hi Phategi. Saale British ki aulaad. @MotoGP. Yaan tum Mangaluru mein tum Bach nahi sakte. Kyunki hum log sensitive log hai. Maaf nahi karenge hum log. SAMJHE?
— The Virat (@iammithesh) September 22, 2023