New York Jets coach Rex Ryan, assistant coach Dennis Thurman and some players are being investigated by the NFL for inappropriate behavior toward female sportscaster Ines Sainz at a practice Saturday.
While Sainz, a former Miss Spain and reporter for Mexico’s TV Azteca, was working on a story about quarterback Mark Sanchez, she had footballs thrown in her direction by a Jets coach during practice. Players later called out to her in the team’s locker room.
On Sunday, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said that the league and the Jets began looking into the situation when they were made aware of it Saturday night.
The Jets released a statement about the incident, saying that they “will continue to work with the League to gather the facts and take any appropriate steps necessary to maintain a respectful environment for the media.”
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum called Joanne Gerstner, a board member of the Association for Women in Sports Media, on Sunday to discuss the matter. The two organizations were working to schedule an educational and awareness session with the team, according to Jets spokesman Bruce Speight.
Speight added that he also addressed the situation at the team meeting Sunday in advance of New York’s season opener against Baltimore on Monday night at the New Meadowlands Stadium.
Earlier Sunday, the Jets issued a statement, saying owner Woody Johnson spoke to Sainz on Sunday to discuss the incident, and that he “stressed to Ines that he expects all members of the Jets organization to conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times.”
The AWSM said in a statement Sunday night that both the NFL and the Jets were “responsive to our concerns” and that it would continue to monitor the situation.
“We are awaiting the results of the investigation,” the statement read, “and further action from the NFL and Jets.”
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