ESPN sports analyst Stephen A Smith has issued a new apology for his controversial remarks about women and domestic violence, made last week following the NFL's suspension of Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice. Rice was suspended for two games after he did not contest a charge of assaulting his then-fiancée, now wife.
Speaking on ESPN's First Take on Monday, Smith delivered a two-minute statement, saying: 'I ventured beyond the scope of our discussion by alluding to a woman's role in such heinous matters, going so far as to use the word 'provoke' in my diatribe. To say what I actually said was foolish is an understatement. To say I was wrong is obvious.'
Smith's initial comments on Friday suggested women should avoid provoking men to prevent violence, sparking widespread criticism. He was condemned by colleagues, including SportsNation presenter Michelle Beadle, who tweeted: 'I'm now aware that I can provoke my own beating.'
In his Monday apology, Smith acknowledged his failure to properly convey his views, stating: 'I've religiously spoken out against domestic violence all of my life ... Unfortunately, I did an incredibly poor job of asserting my point of view this past Friday.'
First Take host Cari Champion also addressed the issue, noting that words like 'provoke' can be triggering in discussions of domestic abuse. She said: 'Obviously that was not Stephen A's intent ... but he failed to do so.'
