BEIJING, June 28: Chinese TV commentator Huang Jianxiang has apologised for his pro-Italian anti-Australian rant to an audience of many millions at the end of the World Cup match between the two teams on Monday.

After Italy's controversial last-minute penalty, which saw them through to the quarter-finals, Huang gave vent to his love of Italian football and his disdain for an Australian team he said was packed with players who lived in Europe.

His remarks sparked a huge debate in China and rumours spread through internet chat rooms all day Tuesday — that a group of Australians had protested at the foreign ministry, the Australian embassy had complained to CCTV and Huang had been sacked.

The initially unapologetic Huang, who was backed by 50 percent of voters in one online poll, reconsidered his position and a letter was posted on the website of state-run CCTV.

“I have attached too much personal feeling to the match of Italy versus Australia. I reviewed the video of the match again and I feel there are some injustice and prejudice in my comment, which have caused discomfort and hurt to the audience,” he wrote.

“I am familiar with Italian football and I hoped that the Italians would gain a berth in the last eight, to make the matches more exciting, but I have mingled my feelings and the role of my job.—Reuters