ESPN criticised for reporting Michael Sam’s showering habits

US sports network ESPN has been criticised for discussing the showering habits of gay NFL player Michael Sam during a recent report.

Reporter Josina Anderson was giving an update of the player’s progress with the St. Louis Rams, when she relayed comments allegedly made to her by another player.

She said: “[A] defensive player told me that ‘Sam is respecting our space’ and that, from his perspective, he seems to think that Michael Sam is waiting to take a shower, as not to make his teammates feel uncomfortable.”

She then added that two other players had told her that they weren’t aware that Sam had been avoiding showers with his teammates, as they “weren’t tracking that”.

After receiving criticism for the report, ESPN issued a statement to the Philadelphia Daily News, saying: “In response to recent questions about Michael Sam fitting in with the team, a Rams teammate brought up the shower topic and we relayed the information as part of our reporting.”

However, Outsports.com co-founder, Cyd Zeigler, said that it was still irresponsible of ESPN to relay the comments on air.

He said: “I’ve said for years that the biggest stumbling block to more gay athletes being true to themselves is the media.

“It’s the media that continues this dialogue that there’s a problem, it’s the media that continues to push the notion that coming out in sports will be met with fear and negativity.

“This was just another example of a reporter furthering this notion. Chris Long said it best: We’re over it. But the media is not.”

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