Commentator to sue ESPN after being sacked for Venus Williams 'gorilla' comment
Doug Adler, who was sacked by ESPN after he appeared to call Venus Wiliams a 'gorilla' during live commentary at the Australian Open, is now planning to sue the broadcaster for unlawful dismissal. He has insisted that he had actually used the word 'guerilla' to describe Venus's playing style.
An ESPN commentator who was sacked for making controversial statements about Venus Willians during the Australian Open is now planning to sue his former employers for wrongful termination, a report from Independent says.
Doug Adler, a former athlete who played professional tennis between 1979 and 1981, was on air during Venus Williams' second round match against Stefanie Voegele in Melbourne when he appeared to call her a "gorilla". Adler was subsequently sacked by the broadcaster for the alleged slur, but he has rejected the claim and said that he was actually calling Venus' playing style "like a guerilla."
When many viewers complained of racism, ESPN suspended Adler, and then later decided to sack him. He did
Adler's lawyers, who claim that he suffered "emotional distress" on account of being accused of racism, also said that the term "guerilla tennis" is commonly used in the sport and cited an advert featuring Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras which coined the term.
ESPN, though, hasn't received any official notice, and thus refused to comment on the issue. "We have not been served and are declining further comment," said an official statement from the American broadcasting giant.