Over the past few days, there have been instances of sports newscasters and reporters being out of line. Just recently ESPN Rachel Nichols issued a sort of apology for her comments that were caught on video in regards to Maria Taylor becoming the host in 2020 of “NBA Countdown”. In her apology, during Monday’s broadcast of “The Jump” she barely mentions the comments that are still causing ripples within the Disney-owned ESPN and as the New York Times reported, some of the NBA coverage team considering boycotting the NBA Finals due to the lackluster response to her inflammatory comments.
In July 2020, Nichols was recorded speaking to representatives of LeBron James about ESPN’s choice to have Maria Taylor host “NBA Countdown” during the 2020 NBA Finals. Those comments were recorded by a video camera she had left on and uploaded into ESPN’s system, where the footage was discovered and distributed by an employee. Nichols was frustrated that she hadn’t gotten the role and suggested that ESPN’s interest in paying more attention to diversity was a factor in the decision.
Nichols’s response was that she didn’t want to make herself the story, but “I also don’t want to let this moment pass without saying how much I respect, how much I value our colleagues here at ESPN. How deeply, deeply sorry I am for disappointing those I hurt, particularly Maria Taylor, and how grateful I am to be a part of this team.”
It has been announced that Malika Andrews will take over the sidelines for the NBA Finals coverage on ABC and continuing to provide play-by-play will be Mike Breen and analysts Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson.
Now on to an Australian reporter – Claire Lehmann who made unfounded and inflammatory claims of doping/steroid use against both U.S. sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson and the late Flo Jo wearing acrylic nails.
She wrote, “Not sure whether the nails are real or fake, but in case you didn’t know very strong nails & hair can be a side effect of steroid use.” Lehmann posted a photo of Richardson — who was suspended for a month and not chosen for the relay team after testing positive for THC during a drug test.
Twitter responded and informed her that Sha’Carri Richardson wears wigs, and her nails are fake. Continuing her ignorant and unfounded claims Flo Jo’s death was due to drug use and the facts and autopsy dispelling this ignorant statement were clear.
As of today, the unfounded and baseless tweets are still up and per her tweet, there will not be any apology from Lehmann.
