Chris Gayle commences defamation proceedings

Chris Gayle has today commenced a series of defamation proceedings against Fairfax Media for a page-one story published on January 6.

The story, which alleges Gayle exposed himself to a woman during the 2015 Cricket World Cup, was published by the Sydney Morning Herald, Age and Canberra Times.

Gayle immediately denied the accusations, hiring media lawyer Mark O’Brien and releasing a statement shortly after they were published.

“Cricketer Chris Gayle has strongly denied allegations first published by Fairfax Media that he indecently exposed himself to a woman during last year’s World Cup in Sydney,” the statement read.

“Despite such denial, Fairfax Media continues to publish the false and defamatory allegations which have received widespread republication in media throughout the world.”

The Fairfax story alleged that the woman, who was working around the West Indian team, had entered the West Indian dressing room to get something to eat, expecting the team to be out training.

According to the allegations, she found a towel-clad Gayle in the rooms, who pulled down the towel to expose himself and asked: “Are you looking for this?”

At the time of the story, Gayle was already in hot water for his now-infamous interview with Channel Ten reporter Mel McLaughlin, in which he asked McLaughlin to come for a drink with him, before adding “Don’t blush baby.”

Gayle apologised for the interview and was subsequently fined $10,000 for his comments.

The defamation proceedings are listed for directions on February 26 at 9:30am.