The CBC has publicly reprimanded Don Cherry for controversial remarks he made recently during his weekly Hockey Night in Canada commentary.

They've also announced new measures to control his future comments.

From now on, the network will place Cherry on a seven-second tape delay, announced Harold Redekopp, executive vice-president of CBC Television.

Cherry landed in hot water this week for a Jan. 24 rant against making the use of visors mandatory. He said only "Europeans and French guys" routinely wear the eye shields.

That drew the attention of official languages commissioner Dyane Adam, who announced she's launching a formal investigation into Cherry's comments. She said she wanted to know whether his remarks reflected a systemic failure at the CBC to respect the Official Languages Act.

The public broadcaster issued a statement Friday saying that Cherry "unacceptably stepped beyond (his) role by expressing an inappropriate and reprehensible personal opinion."

"CBC Television categorically rejects and denounces the personal opinions Mr. Cherry expressed during the segment," Redekopp said in the statement.

"Comments such as those expressed during the show cannot be repeated and will not be tolerated ... Additionally, CBC Sports management have reviewed the January 24th broadcast with Mr. Cherry, and have his assurances that comments of this nature will not be repeated."

The decision to air Cherry's comments on tape delay was criticized by some.

Steve McAllister, sports editor of the Globe and Mail newspaper, said, "I think it's dangerous territory because the fun for hockey fans, for Coach's Corner, is that it is spontaneous, and I think the CBC is going to take the spontaneity out of it."

"It could be seen as stifling legitimate commentary by people in the public world," said Conservative MP Peter MacKay. "This is a bit of a gag order on colour commentary."

Redekopp defended the move by saying that "CBC Television must manage its airwaves responsibly."

"This practice is common on many live broadcasts," he noted.

CBS announced this week it will air the Grammy Awards on a video delay system, in the wake of the Janet Jackson breast-baring scandal.

Cherry -- a hero to some, a bigot to others -- is no stranger to controversy. He has routinely attacked the playing style of European hockey players and made contentious remarks about French-Canadians.

In another segment earlier this season, Cherry commented on reports of drug use among junior players, alleging that only players in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League did drugs, though he offered no evidence.

Last year, Cherry's on-air support for the war in Iraq was also considered provocative, and prompted the CBC to remove the segment from its website.

Federal cabinet minister Denis Coderre expressed anger Friday morning with Cherry's recent comments, saying it's time for him "to stop pushing French Canadians around.

"Frankly, I think when you're talking about ethnicity all the time and calling French men wimps, it's unacceptable," Coderre said outside the Commons.

Jean Augustine, the Liberal government's junior minister for multiculturalism, said Friday the government will not tolerate Cherry's deliberately provocative remarks "that create dissonance in our society and disrespect for others."

NDP Leader Jack Layton was a little more direct. He said Cherry "should be ashamed of himself."

"It's disgusting and unacceptable. He should certainly be apologizing, and maybe something more than that. Who knows? I'm in shock."

Cherry was silent on the controversy Friday.

CTV's Peter Murphy contributed to this report.