I accept Gayle’s apology: reporter Mel McLaughlin

Hobart, Jan 5: Sports presenter Mel McLaughlin on Tuesday said she has accepted star cricketer Chris Gayle's apology for asking her out on live television, and added that she wants to "move on" from the incident.

Gayle apologised for the incident in a media conference here on Tuesday afternoon.

"I accept that (the apology from Gayle). I just want to move on," McLaughlin was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.

McLaughlin said she feels uncomfortable as she is not used to being in the centre of a story.

"I'm a little bit uncomfortable. I'm not used to being at the centre of any sort of story. This one certainly escalated, but I'm okay," she said.

Overnight she has become an unwitting poster girl for the struggle against sexual harassment, for women working in the field of sports but McLaughlin said she has never felt targeted.

"There's a certain stigma that people like to talk about with women in sport. I haven't felt that," she said.

"Yes, it's meant something to a lot of female journos, men as well as women in general. It's certainly snowballed. I love my job and I'd just rather be talking about that."

On Monday on a sideline interview with the presenter during a Big Bash game, Gayle said: “I wanted to come and have an interview with you as well. This is the reason why I'm here. Just to see your eyes for the first time. So hopefully we can win this game and then we can have a drink after. Don't blush, baby."