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Cricket journalist 'watched hardcore porn' whilst writing match report in press box

He watched hardcore porn just metres away from male and female colleagues who had a clear views of his screen

Emma Henderson
Thursday 07 January 2016 08:43 GMT
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Russell Jackson claimed he witnessed the incident at Melbourne Cricket Ground
Russell Jackson claimed he witnessed the incident at Melbourne Cricket Ground (Getty Images)

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A sports editor has claimed that he saw a cricket journalist spend a whole day 'watching hardcore porn' while reporting on a match in the press box, in front of both male and female colleagues.

The journalist, who has not been named, is alleged to have been sitting just metres away from other members of the media in the press box, whilst reporting on the Australia v West Indies Boxing Day test, according to the Guardian’s sports blog.

Russell Jackson, the Guardian’s deputy sport editor, wrote a blog on the unexpected aspects of reporting on sports which included the accredited member of the media watching porn.

“Last week in the Melbourne Cricket Ground press box I was staggered to note, on the third morning of the Test and for the entire day thereafter, an accredited member of the media sitting in front of me tapping away at his company laptop, but tabbing between his match report and a constant stream of hardcore pornography,” he wrote.

“I could barely believe what I was seeing. The thing that initially staggered me was the sheer audacity of it, that the presence of both female and male colleagues, who were sitting metres away with clear views of his screen, hadn’t been enough to deter him and that he felt perfectly comfortable doing it in full view. Welcome to Blokesworld,” he went on to say.

On the fourth day of the test match, the journalist was told that all his colleagues could see what he was doing, and they’d appreciate it if he stopped, which he reportedly did.

“Personally, I don’t subscribe to every arcane and unspoken law of the press box, but find the one that precludes any of us from spending eight hours on the verge of public masturbation is generally observed by all," Mr Jackson added.

The revelation comes a day after West Indies cricketer, Chris Gayle’s interview blunder where he asked sports journalist Mel McLaughlin out for a drink on live television.

Gayle, 36 has since apologised to Ms McLaughlin - who accepted the apology and wanted to move on - and was fined AUS $10,000 (£4,800) after there was an outcry on Twitter that his actions were sexist.

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