Chris Gayle to sue Fairfax Media for defamation

Chris Gayle’s management group Insignia Sports International issued a statement that he will sue Fairfax Media for defamation after it published allegations that he exposed himself to a woman while in Sydney to train for the 2015 Cricket World Cup.

The 36-year-old West Indies player issued a statement on Thursday saying he had retained media lawyer Mark O’Brien and would “immediately commence defamation proceedings against Fairfax Media”.

“Cricketer Chris Gayle has strongly denied allegations first published by Fairfax Media that he indecently exposed himself to a woman during last year’s World Cup in Sydney,” the statement said.

“Despite such denial, Fairfax Media continues to publish the false and defamatory allegations which have received widespread republication in media throughout the world.”

Fairfax Media declined to comment when approached. The allegations were made by an Australian woman who was working around the players. She said that she went into the team dressing room to get a sandwich after she thought the team had left and found Gayle, who allegedly partially exposed his genitals and asked “Are you looking for this?”

Matter escalated as few others have also described Gayle as creepy. All such allegations would certainly hamper his chances of participating in the next BBL season as Cricket Australi (CA) has taken a strict view towards it. Melbourne Renegades have fined Gayle $10,000 for the inappropriate comments he made to female sports journalist Mel McLaughlin in a live television interview during Monday’s Big Bash League game between the Renegades and Hobart Hurricanes.

Gayle later apologized for the incident and said that it was a simple joke. Mel also told Channel 10 that she has accepted his apology saying “I Just want to move on”