Getty Image
- Recently hired betting analyst Kelly Stewart was fired by ESPN over old homophobic tweets from 9 years ago
- Stewart releases statement addressing the tweets and ESPN.
- Read more sports articles here
Betting analyst Kelly Stewart was recently hired to contribute to ESPN’s upcoming gambling coverage but unfortunately, she was fired over some old tweets before she could even record her first podcast for the company.
According to a report from Front Office Sports, the network fired Stewart over homophobic tweets she made in 2012.
An ESPN spokesman confirmed Stewart was no longer with the network on Friday. Sources tell Front Office Sports that her departure was related to old Twitter messages and posts that were flagged after ESPN brought her on board. ESPN declined to state the reason she’s no longer at the network.
These are the tweets in question that caused Stewart to get fired.
Stewart released a statement on Twitter confirming she had been fired over the old tweets and expressed disappointment ESPN didn’t stand behind her.
ESPN has notified me that they terminated my contract due to deleted tweets from 2012,”. “I know the words I used are unacceptable and hurtful and I am terribly sorry for this lapse in judgment, but I cannot apologize for standing up to the vicious attacks I, and so many other female personalities, endure from anonymous online trolls.
“I wish ESPN had been willing to stand behind me, particularly because I’d already been suspended for these Tweets by another company several years ago, but | cannot control their decision. I can only say |’m sorry for the person I was and some of the mistakes | made in my youth.”
Stewart was hired a little over a month ago and was set to begin appearing on the network as a betting analyst this month.