Chris Gayle could face more sexism allegations after latest interview

Chris Gayle, the West Indies batsman, could face fresh allegations of sexism following lewd remarks made to a female journalist in an interview published by the Times this Saturday.

Gayle was widely condemned at the start of the year for asking the reporter Mel McLaughlin out on a date on live television when playing in Australia’s Big Bash League, saying: “Your eyes are beautiful, hopefully we can win this game and then we can have a drink after as well. Don’t blush, baby.”

And now speaking to Charlotte Edwardes, in an article published by the Times magazine, Gayle claims to have “a very, very big bat, the biggest in the wooooorld,” before adding: “You think you could lift it? You’d need two hands.”

According to the piece, Gayle goes on to ask Edwardes how many black men she has “had” before inquiring as to whether she has ever had a “t’eesome”. He then asks Edwardes if she dyes her hair while flicking his eyes downwards, according to her account of the exchange.

Later on in the interview he says “women should have equality and they do have equality. They have more than equality. Women can do what they want. Jamaican women are very vocal. They will let you know what time is it, for sure.”

With Gayle warming to his equality theme, Edwardes asks about sharing domestic duties such as cooking and looking after a baby and he adds: “No, that OK. [With a baby] then she doesn’t have to [cook]. We can stop and buy a meal. If she’s working, then the couple share. First person home, cooks.”

But, he adds, “women should please their man. When he comes home, food is on the table. Serious. You ask your husband what he likes and then you make it.”

On homophobia, however, Gayle said: “The culture I grew up in, gays were negative. [But] people can do whatever they want. You can’t tell someone how to live their life. It’s a free world.”

Gayle, who was fined Aus$10,000 in January by his employers Melbourne Renegades for the exchange with McLaughlin, is due to play in England this summer for Somerset in the NatWest T20 Blast, his second time at the county following a brief three-match spell last year.

Somerset’s chief executive, Guy Lavender, who said Gayle’s comments in January were “completely inappropriate”, declined to comment when contacted by the Guardian on Friday, having not read the Times interview, but added: “Broadly speaking, when he was with us he was fantastic both in terms of activities on and off the pitch.”

Sammy, however, chose to play down the latest row.
"Chris Gayle is the universe boss, a team-mate of mine who I admire and respect. I just think people target Chris for no reason.
"To me, Chris is one of our cricketing heroes. He's an entertainer, first, but a lot of people have jumped on his back," Sammy was quoted as saying by 'ESPNcricinfo'.