Former AFL journalist Tom Morris has damaged his silence on the scandal that value him his job a 12 months in the past, declaring he “deserved to be sacked” by Fox Footy.
Morris was sacked final March after audio of him making offensive feedback about then Fox Sports colleague Megan Barnard was leaked to social media.
His sacking within the opening week of final 12 months’s AFL season was one of many largest scandals of the 12 months.
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Morris copped a unprecedented private assault from Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge in a post-game press convention after the season opener over a crew choice story Morris reported.
Beveridge apologised the next day, however the trade was overshadowed by the leaking of the offensive Morris audio on WhatsApp.
A second clip that includes homophobic and racist slurs additionally emerged on social media earlier than Morris was finally sacked by Fox Footy final March.
Morris apologised for his feedback on the time, describing them as “disgusting and disgraceful”.
Now he has spoken publicly for the primary time in regards to the scandal, taking full accountability for his actions and detailing his regrets as he nears a return to the media.
“It’s not something I’ll be able to live down,” Morris informed the Don’t Shoot the Messenger podcast.
“I’m deeply ashamed of what happened.
“I can’t be clear enough. I deserved to be sacked.”
Morris, 31, mentioned his offensive feedback had been a symptom of the “warped world” he lived in, and he’s since undertaken “ongoing education … to adequately educate myself to become a respectful normal adult”.
“I thought I was one of the good guys … men who are heterosexual and white like me often think we are the good guys and, in fact, we don’t know what we don’t know. I turned a blind eye … I was selfish, and I ignored it for a decade,” he mentioned.
Morris mentioned he had tried to get in contact with Barnard however had obtained no response from the Fox Sports presenter.
“She doesn’t owe me anything,” he mentioned.
“It’s not up to her to make me feel right. I’m always going to feel guilty and shameful for what I put her through.”
Morris mentioned he doesn’t know who leaked the offensive clips of him on WhatsApp and he has little interest in discovering out.
“The Western Bulldogs were not responsible (for the leaks),” he mentioned.
“It would never have come out if I had not had those thoughts in my head.
“If the public sentiment is that I can never get a full-time job again then I’m completely prepared for that mentally because I’ve only got myself to blame.
“This is no one else’s fault, I’m not bitter at anyone … so many people were so hurt by what I did.”
Morris mentioned he had been repeatedly abused on the road however was most sorry for the implications his feedback had on his household.
A 12 months after his sacking, Morris is poised to return to the media panorama for the upcoming AFL season.
He will co-host the pre-game program Sunday Crunchtime on radio station SEN with pal and former Fox Footy colleague Sarah Olle.
Media mogul and proprietor of SEN, Craig Hutchison, mentioned final month Morris “absolutely deserves a second chance”.
The timing of the podcast’s launch and an accompanying story by veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson in The Age on International Women’s Day, was extensively criticised.
The Age’s Marnie Vinall tweeted: “I’ve been vocal how I feel about redemption arcs before, and today sure doesn’t feel like the day for them in sports media imo, idk.”
ESPN’s Steve Smith mentioned: “Ok I get giving people second chances. I get that he might be truly remorseful. But … sending out this story today. Really? Couldn’t wait 12 hours?”
Sports journalist Megan Hustwaite posted: “Oh and a happy #IWD2023 to the colleague who’s personal life and privacy was violated. Who continues to be reminded of it during redemption and comeback tours.”
Source: www.news.com.au
