ESPN has fired MLB reporter Marly Rivera after a confrontation last week with a fellow reporter at Yankee Stadium.
Per the New York Post, Rivera called reporter Ivón Gaete, a freelancer working with Tokyo Broadcasting, a “f***ing c**t” after Gaete attempted to interview Aaron Judge, who Rivera set time up with for an interview.
Before the Yankees-Angels game, Rivera and fellow reporter Ivón Gaete had a disagreement when Gaete arrived in an attempt to also interview Judge.
Rivera said she set up time with the Yankees captain and when she repeatedly tried to tell Gaete of the appointment, Gaete ignored it.
During the heat of the disagreement, Rivera said the words, “f–king c—t,” which was caught on video.
Rivera attempted to apologize to Gaete, the wife of MLB VP of Communications John Blundell, but was spurned.
ESPN tersely told the Post that Rivera “no longer works here.”
In a statement to the Post, Rivera admitted saying what she said and claimed she was “being singled out by a group of individuals with whom I have a long history of professional disagreements,” referring to Blundell.
“I fully accept responsibility for what I said, which I should not have,” Rivera told The Post. “There were extenuating circumstances but that in no way is an excuse for my actions. I am a professional with a sterling reputation across baseball and I do believe that I am being singled out by a group of individuals with whom I have a long history of professional disagreements.”
Rivera said that she and Blundell have had disagreements over the years, which, in her view, is why this incident blew up and resulted in her firing.
Rivera joined ESPN in 2011, reporting for ESPN.com and on air covering MLB.
[New York Post, image via ESPN]
