Sage Steele, a prominent ESPN anchor, has filed a lawsuit against the network, alleging it violated her free speech rights after she made controversial remarks last year. The lawsuit, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, claims ESPN retaliated by reducing her role and failing to protect her from bullying by colleagues.
Steele's comments came during a podcast with former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler in September 2021. She criticised ESPN's vaccine mandate as 'sick', suggested female reporters dress differently to avoid inappropriate comments, and questioned President Barack Obama's racial identity, noting he is biracial but identifies as Black.
The remarks sparked backlash, including from former ESPN journalist Jemele Hill, who called Steele a 'clown'. Steele was briefly suspended and issued an apology, stating the importance of constructive communication. However, her lawsuit claims ESPN did not consider the context of her statements.
ESPN responded by highlighting Steele's continued prominent roles, including coverage of the Masters and anchoring the noon SportsCenter. The network has faced similar controversies in recent years, including Jemele Hill's departure after calling Donald Trump a 'white supremacist'.
