Alan Sugar tweet: Sports adviser to Senegal president calls for 'ignorant' Lord Sugar to be fired for 'racist' post

A sports adviser to the president of Senegal has blasted an allegedly racist tweet made by Lord Alan Sugar and said he should be "fired".

Ndongo Ndiaye, adviser on youth and sport to President Macky Sall, told the Times that a tweet posted by Lord Sugar showing Senegal's World Cup team alongside rows of sunglasses and handbags was "ignorant and hurtful".

Lord Sugar had captioned the tweet: "I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multi tasking resourceful chaps."

Mr Ndiaye told the newspaper: "If I was [Lord Sugar's] boss, if I was responsible for him, then I would fire him."

He added that the tweet caused a stir in Senegal, making headlines and offending the country's football players.

Apprentice star Lord Sugar drew widespread condemnation and accusations of "casual racism" after posting the image of the team, who this week became the first African squad to win a match at the 2018 World Cup.

In the wake of a furious social media backlash, Lord Sugar initially defended the tweet as "funny" and claimed it had been misinterpreted - however he eventually apologised.

He wrote: "I misjudged me earlier tweet. It was in no way intended to cause offence, and clearly my attempt at humour has backfired. I have deleted the tweet and am very sorry."

Critics have urged people to complain to the House of Lords Commissioner for Standards about the tweet.

Lord Sugar sits as a crossbench peer in the House of Lords after quitting the Labour Party in 2015, saying he was "disillusioned" at the direction of the party.

The latest season of the BBC's hit show The Apprentice is due to air later this year.

A BBC spokesman said: "Lord Sugar has acknowledged this was a seriously misjudged tweet, and he’s in no doubt about our view on this. It’s right he’s apologised unreservedly."