Outrage over US commentator's Venus 'gorilla' gaffe during Open
Tennis fans have shared their outrage after a US commentator compared Venus Williams to a “gorilla” during her second round match at the Australian Open.
Doug Adler, 59, has been slammed over his choice of words while describing the star’s on court form against Swiss player Stefanie Voegele.
“You seen Venus move in and put the gorilla effect on… charging,” the former tennis pro said during an ESPN broadcast.
Viewers have since taken to Twitter to demand ESPN and Adler make an apology.
"This is some appalling stuff,” one commenter wrote on Twitter.
"Horrifying that the Williams sisters remained subjected to it still in 2017.
“This is next-level disgusting,” another wrote.
This is some appalling stuff. Horrifying that the Williams sisters remain subjected to it still in 2017. #AusOpen https://t.co/LJgieHgyuh
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) January 19, 2017
Doug Adler needs to apologize to Venus and fired from @ESPN. Under no circumstances do you make an analogy of a gorilla to a woman of color
— Shanna 🍍 (@PinaCocoblog) January 18, 2017
The comment is not the first Venus or her superstar sister, Serena, have endured during their glittering careers.
In 2014, Russian Tennis Federation President Shamil Tarpischev labeled the sisters as the “Williams brothers”.
