ESPN host Sage Steele is suing her network and its parent company, Disney, claiming she faced retaliation when she was “sidelined” last year.
Steele is seeking compensatory damages and alleging ESPN breached her contract and her right to free speech by sidelining her for controversial comments about the COVID-19 vaccine and former President Barack Obama.
DENMARK BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO HALT ITS COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM
“ESPN and Disney have continued to punish Steele by removing her from prime assignments, including coverage of the New York City Marathon, the Rose Parade, and the 12th Annual ESPNW Summit, which Steele had hosted and emceed since its inception in 2010,” the suit alleged, according to NBC.
ESPN has denied suspending Steele, but her lawsuit contended she was told by the network she was being “sidelined” or “taking a break,” which was a different way of saying she was suspended. She remains employed by the company and anchored SportsCenter on Thursday afternoon.
“Sage remains a valued contributor on some of ESPN’s highest-profile content, including the recent Masters telecasts and anchoring our noon SportsCenter,” ESPN told the Washington Examiner in a statement. “As a point of fact, she was never suspended.”
Late last September, Steele appeared on the Uncut with Jay Cutler podcast and made remarks that drew controversy. She criticized ESPN’s vaccine mandate and explained the only reason she got vaccinated was because she was afraid of losing her job.
“I respect everyone’s decision. I really do. But to mandate it is sick, and it’s scary to me in many ways,” Steele said. “I’m not surprised it got to this point, especially with Disney. I mean, a global company like that.”
She also took aim at Obama for putting “black” as his ethnicity on the census.
“I’m like, ‘Well, congratulations to the president. That’s his thing.’ I think that’s fascinating considering his black dad was nowhere to be found but his white mom and grandma raised him, but, hey, you do you. I’m going to do me,” she said.
The company released a statement saying it embraces different perspectives but expects “those points of view be expressed respectfully.” Steele also released an apology, a statement she now claims ESPN forced her to issue. In early October, Steele was notably absent from the air, prompting media reports that she had been suspended.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
After Steele resumed her work at the network, she was booted from major roles such as ESPN’s annual summit celebrating women and diverse voices as well as the network’s coverage of the New York City Marathon, the suit alleged, according to the Wall Street Journal. She complained to the company’s human resources department in February and was offered the opportunity to co-host the Masters, the lawsuit claimed.
“Connecticut law prohibits private employers from disciplining their employees for engaging in constitutionally protected speech, whether that speech takes place in the workplace or outside of it,” the suit said. “It is clear that ESPN selectively enforces its policies based on whether it agrees with the political views of the employees in question.”
