Graeme Swann
Swann has taken to Twitter to apologise.

England cricketer Graeme Swann has been forced to apologise on Twitter after comparing the Ashes defeat to Australia to Perth to rape in a comment made on Facebook.

Swann was responding to a comment made by his brother, Alec, where he had referred to enjoying a night out watching a band in Northampton.

"Rather have been there than being a**e raped in Perth!" Swann wrote.

After the comments sparked outrage on social media, the Nottinghamshire bowler apologised on Twitter for his "crass and thoughtless" remarks.

"Sorry to anyone who was offended by my comments in the papers today," Swann said. "Crass and thoughtless of me in the extreme."

Despite the apology, the comments have sparked outrage from Rape Crisis in Britain chief executive Yvonne Traynor, was is "appalled" by the reference.

"We are appalled that Graeme Swann equates a cricket match with the devastatingly serious crime of rape," she said.

"It is the duty of people in the public eye to make sure that their own distorted views are kept to themselves and not shared with the general public.

"These comments lack compassion and intelligence and he should apologise to anyone who has suffered from this heinous crime."

An 150-run defeat in the third Test saw England relinquish the Ashes to Australia, a series during which Swann has struggled throughout, taking just seven wickets at 80.00.

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