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Fox Footy reporter Tom Morris has been stood down from his job after allegedly making offensive comments in video and audio recordings.
Audio circulating on social media allegedly shows the AFL journalist making derogatory comments about a female coworker.
Another video clip allegedly shows him making a series of racist, homophobic and sexist comments.
Fox Footy journalist Tom Morris (pictured) has been stood down from his job less than 24 hours after he made national headlines when Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge verbally attacked him in a stunning post-match press conference
A Fox Sports spokesman said, ‘Fox Sports has stood down a reporter pending an investigation regarding an inappropriate audio recording.
‘While it is not appropriate to comment further, Fox Sports is committed to a workplace where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.’
The decision comes less than 24 hours after Morris made national headlines when he was slammed by Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge in his press conference after the side’s loss to Melbourne on Friday night.
Beveridge has now issued an official apology to Morris for his comments.
Ahead of the game, it emerged that Beveridge had controversially chosen not to select premiership-winning midfielder Lachie Hunter for the clash – with Fox Footy’s Tom Morris initially reporting the team news.
Hunter was named in the side on Tuesday night, before being left out before again being a very late inclusion and replacing the injured Jason Johannisen prior to the bounce.
Beveridge has issued an official apology to Morris after his stunning tirade
And Beveridge saw red and erupted at the Fox journalist, labelling him an ’embarrassment’ during an icy exchange in the post-match press conference.
‘You’ve got the nerve to ask me a question and even be here,’ Beveridge responded to Morris’ question about the pre-game saga around Hunter.
‘You’ve been preying on us and causing turmoil within our football club by declaring our team well before it needs to be declared.
‘Is that the gutter journalist you want to be?
‘We went in with a plan, we had some late stuff go on out in the warm-up.
‘All the other stuff was according to plan right from the Sunday and somehow you’ve found out about that again.
‘We’ve got to get to the bottom of this, obviously we need to put our hand up to say there’s some leakage going on.
‘This is why the health and wellbeing in the game is caught up in all this stuff because we’ve got things to concentrate on performance-wise, we’ve got to look after our own and then you cause all this … that happens behind the scenes and names get brought up into it,’ he said.
Beveridge released the following statement on Friday afternoon.
‘I have reflected on my comments and actions from the post-game press conference after last night’s game and acknowledge that my exchange with journalist Tom Morris overstepped the mark.
‘I want to apologise for my behaviour. I want to apologise to Tom Morris and all those present last night and to our members, supporters, partners and the wider football community.’
More to come.
Source: DailyMail
