Justin Gimelstob Apologizes For Derogatory Comments
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Gimelstob Apologizes For
Comments About Some WTAers |
ATP BOD member Justin Gimelstob has apologized for comments he made prior to the start of Wimbledon on WJFK-FM about several Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players, saying, "I take full responsibility for all the words that came out of my mouth," according to Filip Bondy of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. Gimelstob: "Among the targets of my venom was [former WTAer] Anna Kournikova, not to mention a general disregard and disrespect toward women. They all deserve and have my deepest apologies. While I see how it could be implied by my remarks, I assure you that I have the utmost respect for women." Gimelstob called Kournikova "a bitch" and "a douche." He also "questioned the veracity of the back problems that caused Kournikova's retirement and seemed to threaten her with physical harm." He said WTAer Nicole Vaidisova is a "well-developed young lady," and he added female tennis players "lack the social skills, they don't go to high school, they don't go to parties." Bondy wrote if he were "involved with another sport, surely Gimelstob would now be asked to go away for some time, suspended indefinitely." He would be "ordered to resign his position" on the BOD, stop commentating on Tennis Channel and he would be "dropped from the roster" of the World TeamTennis Washington Kastles. But the Kastles "will only suspend him for one match and the ATP has somehow forgiven him" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/28). Gimelstob "pledged to donate money to The Women's Sports Foundation" (London TELEGRAPH, 6/28).
SHOOTING FROM THE HIP: SI.com's Jon Wertheim wrote of Gimelstob, who also writes a column for the Web site, "The remarks themselves are thoroughly indefensible. But let me say this in his defense: he's always been a beacon of candor, one of those athletes who speaks honestly, regardless of whom he might offend or what collateral damage might arise. This doesn't, of course, give him license to say anything, but -- and I feel similarly about Charles Barkley -- it tempers at least some of the outrage when he crosses the line" (SI.com, 6/28). But in Oakland, Art Spander wrote Gimelstob's comments "at best are sexist and at worst just plain vicious" (OAKLAND TRIBUNE, 6/29).
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