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'''Lisa Olson''' (born circa [[1965]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[sportswriter]] for the [[New York Daily News]]. In 1990, while working at the ''[[Boston Herald]]'', she was [[sexual harassment|sexually harassed]] by [[New England Patriots]] [[American football|football]] players in the team's locker room. Olson sued the [[National Football League]], and the players involved were punished; the incident "is considered a watershed moment for women in sports journalism".<ref name="Ricchiardi">{{cite news |
'''Lisa Olson''' (born circa [[1965]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[sportswriter]] who last worked for the [[New York Daily News]]. In 1990, while working at the ''[[Boston Herald]]'', she was [[sexual harassment|sexually harassed]] by [[New England Patriots]] [[American football|football]] players in the team's locker room. Olson sued the [[National Football League]], and the players involved were punished; the incident "is considered a watershed moment for women in sports journalism".<ref name="Ricchiardi">{{cite news |
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|url=http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3788 |
|url=http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=3788 |
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|title=Offensive Interference |
|title=Offensive Interference |
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Revision as of 00:21, 5 February 2008
Lisa Olson (born circa 1965) is an American sportswriter who last worked for the New York Daily News. In 1990, while working at the Boston Herald, she was sexually harassed by New England Patriots football players in the team's locker room. Olson sued the National Football League, and the players involved were punished; the incident "is considered a watershed moment for women in sports journalism".[1]
Olson graduated with a B.S. in journalism from Northern Arizona University in 1985.[2]
Sexual harassment incident
At the time, women sports journalists faced frequent discrimination, harassment, and intimidation. Women did not get equal access to post-game locker room interviews until a federal court decision in 1978.[1] In 1985, the NFL enacted an equal access policy of its own.[3]
While interviewing players in the Patriots locker-room on a practice day, some of the men labeled Olson what they called a "looker".[4] General Manager Pat Sullivan observed Olson and determined that she was acting professionally, interviewing Maurice Hurst, but took no other action.[4] Several of the players subsequently taunted her by walking naked in her presence, making vulgar comments and gestures.[1] One player, Zeke Mowatt, "fondled his genitals" in front of her.[1] Robert Perryman did the same while her back was turned. Others, including Michael Timpson, made jokes and egged each other on.[4]
After Olson complained, describing the experience as a "mind rape"[1], team owner Victor Kiam allegedly described her as a "classic bitch" (he later apologized in a newspaper ad, while denying using crude language).[3] Eventually, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ordered an investigation under the aegis of former Watergate scandal prosecutor Philip Heymann.[3]; the 60-page report concluded that Olson was "degraded and humiliated". Mowatt was fined $12,500, the other two players $5,000, and the team itself $50,000, since no management had intervened at the time or immediately following. Half the cost of the team's fine was to defray instructional materials the league could send to all teams and players, and Tagliabue wrote a letter to Kiam expressing his belief that the incident had "damaged" the league.[4] Sullivan, a son of the previous team owner, was fired.[5]
After the incident became public, Olson was subjected to harassment from fans of the Patriots. Her tires were slashed, she received hate mail and death threats, and her apartment was burglarized.[1] The Herald's then owner, News Corporation, offered to transfer her to Sydney, Australia, where she worked for The Daily Telegraph and the Sydney Morning Herald.[1] In 1991, Olson settled a lawsuit against the Patriots.
Return to the US
In 1998, she returned to the U.S. to take her current position with the Daily News. She has continued to receive harassing phone calls and mail.[5]
According to the web site The Big Lead, Olson quit the Daily News during Super Bowl Week, 2008, after a dispute with the paper over a late column, possibly the fault of Mike Lupica.[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Sherry Ricchiardi (December/January 2005). "Offensive Interference". American Journalism Review. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Spotlight on Alumni: Creative Types" (PDF). Northern Arizona University Alumni Association. p. 3. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
- ^ a b c Leslie Whitaker (October 15 1990). "Trouble in The Locker Rooms". TIME magazine. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b c d Thomas George (November 28, 1990). "Patriots and 3 Players Fined in Olson Incident". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Randi Druzin. "Women Reporters in the Men's Locker Room". Women's Sports Foundation. Retrieved 2007-09-29.
- ^ "Mike Lupica's Body Count Continues". The Big Lead. 2008-01-30.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help)