Commanders ban radio hosts from training camp over 'disparaging remarks' about female reporter
The Washington Commanders have banned two radio hosts from attending training camp after they made "sexually disparaging remarks" about a female reporter, the team confirmed to USA TODAY Sports on Saturday.
WBIG "BIG 100" radio hosts Don Geronimo and Crash Young were scheduled to broadcast from the Commanders' training camp at Commanders Park in Ashburn, Virginia, on Friday, but were not permitted entry following remarks made on their radio show the day before.
According to local station WUSA9, Geronimo repeatedly called Sharla McBride, the station's veteran sports anchor, a "Barbie girl" as she covered team activities on Thursday. He added, "I'm guessing she's a cheerleader." McBride called the comments "inappropriate, unprofessional and embarrassing," the station added.
Geronimo was subsequently fired by WBIG.
“After an internal review, Don Geronimo is no longer an employee of WBIG,” iHeartMedia's Aaron Hyland told The Washington Post in a statement. “We take matters of this nature very seriously and this behavior does not align with our core values.”
The Commanders supported the decision, telling the Post: "We were confident that iHeart would address this swiftly and are pleased that they did."
COMMANDERS:NFL owners approve sale of Washington Commanders to Josh Harris, ending Dan Snyder era
The Commanders, who are under new management after embattled owner Daniel Snyder sold the franchise to a group led by Josh Harris for a reported $6.05 billion, acted quickly against Geronimo and Young.
"We have worked hard to ensure that everyone feels safe and respected in our workplace," the Commanders said in a statement to WUSA9. "We took swift action when we learned that an employee of our partner iHeart made sexually disparaging remarks to and about a member of the media while she was broadcasting live from training camp yesterday."
Snyder's 24-season reign in Washington featured multiple controversies and scandals, including a string of investigations related to allegations of sexual harassment, financial impropriety and a toxic workplace culture within the team. He was fined $60 million by the NFL.
Contributing: Tom Schad, USA TODAY
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.