Longtime Tennis Channel commentator Jon Wertheim was been removed from air “indefinitely” after he made an “inappropriate comment” about tennis star Barbora Krejcikova, the network announced Sunday.
The Tennis Channel said in a statement it became aware about the comment Wertheim made on Friday, and he was removed “immediately.”
“Jon has dedicated his career to shining a light on and growing this sport and has been a valued member of our family and the tennis community. That said, Tennis Channel holds its employees to a standard of respectfulness for others at all times, a standard that was not met in this moment,” the statement said.
The network apologized to Krejcikova, as did Wertheim.
Krejcikova expressed her dismay over the comment on X Saturday, writing: “As an athlete who has dedicated herself to this sport, it was disappointing to see this type of unprofessional commentary.”
Wertheim shared a public apology on X, saying he made “some deeply regrettable comments off-air” during a Tennis Channel studio show on Friday.
“I acknowledge them. I apologize for them. I reached out immediately and apologized to the player,” he said.
He then offered an explanation for the comment.
“What happened? I joined the show by zoom. In rehearsal we were shown a graphic of a player who had just competed. It showed her at an angle that exaggerated her forehead. A few moments later, I was told to frame up my zoom. I looked at the low camera angle and joked that it made my forehead resemble the photo of the player in question. Someone in the control room chimed in and I bantered back. Though this was a private rehearsal, this exchange inadvertently, and without context, made it to live air,” he said.
“I realize: I am not the victim here. It was neither professional nor charitable nor reflective of the person I strive to be. I am accountable. I own this. I am sorry,” he concluded. In addition to his work with the Tennis Channel, Wertheim is also a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and a correspondent for CBS’ “60 Minutes.”
Krejcikova on X addressed the comment saying: “This isn’t the first time something like this is happening in sports world. I’ve often chosen not to speak up, but I believe it’s time to address the need for respect and professionalism in sports media.”
She said such comments distract from the dedication athletes bring to their sport.
“I love tennis deeply, and I want to see it represented in a way that honors the commitment we make to compete at this level,” Krejcikova said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
