Chris Gayle fined $10,000 following remarks made during interview with Mel McLaughlin

Melbourne Renegades have fined Chris Gayle $10,000 following his remarks towards journalist Mel McLaughlin.

A formal apology has been offered to McLaughlin.

Funds from the fine will be donated to the McGrath Foundation.

Melbourne Renegades CEO Stuart Coventry said:

“Chris’ comments were completely inappropriate and disrespectful. There is simply no place for these type of comments at the Melbourne Renegades.

“The club would like to extend a formal apology to Mel McLaughlin. Mel is an outstanding sports presenter. We think of her very highly and the club and players will ensure we work with her in a professional and respectful manner in future.

“We’ve had several discussions with Chris over the past day and he has acknowledged that his comments were out of line. We would also like to formally apologise to our members, supporters and the wider public for offence caused. The club is based on values of respect towards every member of the community,” said Coventry.

“As a result of his comments, the Renegades have fined Chris $10,000 for inappropriate conduct. The club will subsequently donate this amount to the McGrath Foundation in recognition of Jane McGrath day today.”

The announcement comes after Gayle walked out of a press conference after he claimed comments he made towards reporter Mel McLaughlin were ‘a joke’.

The former West Indies captain told McLaughlin:

"I wanna come and have an interview with you as well, that's the reason I am here, just to see your eyes for the first time, that's nice," Gayle told McLaughlin.

"So hopefully we will win this game and we can go and have a drink later. Don't blush baby."

"I'm not blushing," McLaughlin responded, stunned.

Touching down in Melbourne on Tuesday, Gayle addressed the controversy, following widespread backlash on social media.

However he dismissed his comments as harmless.

“A lot of things have flared up from a simple comment, a joke, a simple joke on air and it seemed to went out of proportion,” Gayle said.

When one journalist told Gayle that McLaughlin was 'pretty upset', the cricketer asked for him to 'be quiet and let me finish'.

'There wasn't anything at all meant to be disrespectful or offensive to Mel and if she felt that way I'm really sorry for that.'

'There wasn't any harm meant in that particular way to any particular person like that.

'It was a simple joke… things get out of proportion but these things do happen.

‘There wasn't any harm done, I'll leave it at that. I'm sorry for that, we'll have to move on.'

Gayle said he tried to get in touch with McLaughlin afterwards but couldn't.

“I tried to reach out to her last night but it didn’t happen.”

During the press conference Gayle interrupted and spoke over the top of Seven News journalist Kate Jones before storming out over her line of questioning.

Jones asked him with should McLaughlin have to feel uncomfortable in the workplace.

“Did she tell you that?” Gayle snapped back.

“She told her boss,” Ms Jones replied.

Clearly unimpressed, Gayle told the media pack to ‘have a good day’ as he stormed off.

Cricket Australia and the BBL have slammed the comments as inappropriate and disrespectful, as have troves of social media users.

"Chris #Gayle picks up first nomination for Bad Oyster of the Year 2016. What a disgrace," Twitter user Oysters Kilpatrick wrote.

"Ugh. Not one bit amusing Chris Gayle. Well handled @Mel_Mclaughlin," fellow sport journalist Carly Adno tweeted.

But more prominent figures in the sport world didn't share the concern for Gayle's comments.

"I'm absolutely outraged that everyone's so absolutely outraged by @henrygayle being a bit cheeky to a female TV reporter. #BBL05," Piers Morgan tweeted.

"On fire tonight brother @henrygayle," Socceroos star Tim Cahill wrote.

Big Bash League manager Anthony Everard spoke out against Gayle’s comments..

“I heard Chris’ comments and they’re disrespectful and simply inappropriate,” Everard said in a statement on social media.

“We’ll certainly be talking to him and the Renegades about it. This league is all about its appeal to kids, families and females.

“There’s just no place in the BBL - or for that matter, cricket anywhere - for that sort of behaviour.”