Milwaukee Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun pauses during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh on April 20, 2010.Gregg Zaun has been fired from Sportsnet due to "inappropriate behaviour and comments." Rick Brace, President of Rogers Media, said in a statement that the company was terminating the contract of the Blue Jays analyst effective immediately.
Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP, Keith Srakocic
November 30, 2017 - 4:53 PM
TORONTO - Gregg Zaun has been fired from Sportsnet due to "inappropriate behaviour and comments" toward female employees.
Rick Brace, President of Rogers Media, said in a statement Thursday that the company was terminating the contract of the Blue Jays analyst effective immediately.
"This week, we received complaints from multiple female employees at Sportsnet regarding inappropriate behaviour by Gregg Zaun in the workplace," the statement said. "After investigating the matter, we decided to terminate his contract, effective immediately. This type of behaviour completely contradicts our standards and our core values. We believe in a professional workplace where all employees feel comfortable and respected. We are grateful to our employees who spoke with us and we will take every measure to protect their privacy."
Zaun, a former Blue Jays catcher, began a part-time broadcasting career with Sportsnet following the 2006 season. He initially signed a two-year deal as a MLB studio analyst with Sportsnet in 2011 and continued working with the network until his termination.
Zaun, 46, played 16 major league seasons, including five years in Toronto from 2004-2008. He captured a World Series with the Florida Marlins in 1997.
Sportsnet said on its website that there were no allegations of physical or sexual harassment.
Zaun's dismissal comes at a time when allegations of sexual harassment are widespread in the film industry, politics and the newsroom with prominent figures such as producer Harvey Weinstein and Today Show host Matt Lauer among those accused.
Zaun, who referred to himself as "the Manalyst," was ridiculed over Twitter back in 2012 when he tweeted a disparaging comment about women in a Toronto nightclub.
His was one of the names mentioned in the Mitchell Report — the result of former U.S. Senator George J. Mitchell's 20-month investigation into performance-enhancing drug use in MLB that was released in 2007.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2017