“I Just Want To Move On”: Mel McLaughlin Gives Her First Interview About Chris Gayle On The Project

It’s been less than 24 hours since Melbourne Renegades cricketer Chris Gayle’s inappropriate post-match interview with Channel Ten sports reporter Melanie McLaughlin and the effects have been far-reaching.

Fellow journalists have issued condemnations of his behaviour, praised McLaughlin for her poise under pressure and shared similar experiences of sexism in the industry; Channel Ten’s social media department have done an about-face after first labelling his dumb casual harassment “smooth”; the director of Cricket Australia has criticised those dismissing the situation; Gayle has issued a half-hearted apology; and the Melbourne Renegades have fined him $10,000. In a statement issued just a couple of hours ago, the club’s CEO Stuart Coventry called the comments “completely inappropriate and disrespectful”. The money will be donated in full to the McGrath Foundation to aid the fight against breast cancer.

Alongside all this has been the inevitable: a deafening chorus of confused men screaming obscenities into the internet about how their rights to creep onto women in any place, context, or workplace are being cruelly violated.

And on threads and in mentions right around this brown land, men begin their traditional slide in to declare: “what’s a bit of harmless fun"

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) January 4, 2016

Now Mel McLaughlin has given her thoughts on the whole thing in an interview on The Project. “It was certainly unexpected and to be honest, it’s obviously just a little bit disappointing,” she said. “I would have much preferred to be talking about [the cricket] instead.”

When asked about the strong response this has provoked in other female sports journalists, McLaughlin said she’s previously had good experiences in her work. “I’ve always felt respect on the sidelines … There’s a certain stigma that people like to talk about with women in sport. I haven’t felt that. I love my job.”

“[Gayle] has issued an apology and I accept that. I just want to move on.”

So, that’s that. Please direct all further questions and complaints to Chris Gayle.