Surf star Fanning rides into storm of outrage

Sydney's Jewish community has been deeply offended by a magazine that quotes world champion surfer Mick Fanning calling a journalist a ''f---ing Jew''.

In the article ''Tales of a F---ing Jew'', published in the surf magazine Stab's January/February edition, writer Charlie Smith recounts a conversation with Fanning on December 12, shortly after he won the world championships in Hawaii.

In it, Fanning is quoted as calling Smith a ''f---ing Jew'' four times, including: ''You totally f---ing write off surfing and then you make money off surfing.

''You're a f---ing Jew.''

The matter was discussed at a NSW Jewish Board of Deputies meeting on Tuesday night after community members raised their distress with chief executive Vic Alhadeff.

''While one might expect a surfing magazine to push the edges, printing inflammatory material is irresponsible and does nothing to promote social harmony,'' Mr Alhadeff said. ''The publishers ought to exercise greater care and greater caution.''

A posting on the magazine's website, in which a reader published the poem Throw the Jew Down the Well - written by the Jewish comedian Sacha Baron Cohen - was removed after a complaint by the board.

Fanning, who is competing at Margaret River in Western Australia for the 2010 Drug Aware Pro which ends today, said he regretted his conversation with Smith and apologised ''unreservedly'' to anyone who may have taken offence.

But he blamed the magazine for taking his words out of context, saying they were intended to be ''ironic''.

''I consider the article to be offensive and arguably designed to cause hurt and distress,'' he told The Sun-Herald in a statement.

''Prior to the exchange with the reporter, I had refused to speak with him because I understood he worked for Stab magazine and that it had previously published articles which I believed were racist and anti-Semitic. I strongly object to views, statements and comments of that nature.

''I acknowledge that my decision to use words that were inappropriate - albeit in an attempt to be ironic, knowing they were of the type favoured by the magazine - was misjudged and wrong. I don't have or condone any form of racist or, more particularly, anti-Semitic view.''

He said he strongly objected to the article and had taken legal steps to try to get the edition withdrawn from circulation.

Legal insiders say the article could amount to a breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act, which makes it unlawful for a person to incite hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group of people on racial grounds.

Smith published a Fascist Issue of the magazine when he was guest editor in early 2009, including a lengthy excerpt from Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf. Stab publisher Sam McIntosh told The Sun-Herald Fanning's quotes were newsworthy and publication was in the public interest.

He said the Fascist Issue was a reference to ''close-mindedness'' within surfing.

- © Fairfax NZ News