London, Mar. 18 : British football pundit Alan Pardew has landed himself in a soup with women's rights campaigners for comparing a tough tackle to rape.

The former manager was on Match Of The Day 2 when he made those comments, and now the BBC is approached to sack him.

Describing a challenge on Manchester City's Ched Evans by Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, Pardew said: "He absolutely rapes him."

Last night he issued an "unconditional apology" but the BBC was said to be considering his future.

The 47-year-old's comments left host Adrian Chiles, 41, and fellow pundit Alan Hansen, 53, speechless.

Yvonne Traynor, director of Rape Crisis in south London, said: "How can he say that, it's insensitive in the extreme, how can he even think that it may be OK to make such a comment?

A spokesperson for Women Against Rape added: "Anyone who can say such a thing has no idea what rape means. It is really insulting to rape survivors to have the word trivialised in that way."

A spokeswoman for the BBC confirmed that they had received 35 complaints. (ANI)