Writers group wants UFC to 'take action' against White

Days after Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White unleashed a three-plus-minute, expletive-filled barrage against Sherdog.com reporter Loretta Hunt for a story she wrote about the organization's credential policies for fighter agents and managers, a women's sports media group is urging the UFC to confront the issue.

In a written statement released by the Assn. of Women in Sports Media, group President Jenni Carlson writes the UFC's silence on the issue -- and UFC spokespeople failed to return messages left for them Wednesday by The Times --  is "disheartening because this behavior is unacceptable."

"He used both misogynistic and homophobic language," the statement says, "and while White has apologized for his anti-gay comments, he has indicated he stands behind everything else he said, including language that is derogatory and denigrating toward women."

Carlson writes, "It establishes a hostile work environment not only for Loretta but also for all women who cover the UFC. We cannot accept that any female sports journalist would have to work in an environment of intimidation or a hostile workplace."

It's worth noting that Hunt and many other MMA Internet reporters haven't been afforded press seating at UFC events since October 2005. The majority of MMA website reporters instead purchase tickets to cover the action and are left out of post-fight newsconferences, even though hard-core MMA fans follow coverage on those sites religiously.

The statement noted: "Hunt has covered mixed martial arts for more than eight years and is a New York Times bestselling author. Her employer, Sherdog.com, provides mixed martial arts coverage for ESPN.com."

"AWSM has offered its support and encouragement to Loretta," Carlson said. "We will continue to do so. It is a mystery to me that a man who is always seeking more coverage and more exposure for his sport would disenfranchise some of the very people who are covering, sponsoring and watching his sport -- women."

 

White has talked to ESPN.com about the controversythis week, but his bosses, Las Vegas casino magnates Lorenzo Fertitta and his brother Frank, have not released any statement either in support of White or objecting to his rant.

 

-- Lance Pugmire

Photo: UFC President Dana White shakes hands during a pre-fight weight-in on Oct. 13, 2006. Credit: Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Lane Hamilton]

Mainstream Media should blacklist UFC like they do with 911 controversies and evidence of insider complicity. Last week they found not a smoking but loaded gun in the form of unyeilded explosives in WTC debris. Still the mainstream media has sucessfully blocked coverage of this peer reviewed scientific evidence in favor of propoganda. Let's 911 the UFC and promote Don King!!!

[LMaines]

A writer's group? Oh how scary!!! I bet UFC and Dana White are shaking in thier shoes. As far as Im concerned no one should be interviewing or having access to fighters and events are those who truly have a passion for the sport and have proven that. Ban those who have thier own little agendas and hide behind political correctness!!

[Jack Randy]

Dana White has been making these kinds of slurs for a long, long time.

He lacks class, and I feel for his children.

[Bryan Arnett]

I don't care what anyone says. UFC is a mans sport. It's been a man sport since the beginning of time. So anytime that you have a sport that is clearly a mans sport you will have women being what women are. WOMEN! Dana white revolutionized ufc into what it is. Take it or leave it either way, it's still a man sport and it even better because of Dana White

[COMMON CENTS]

Whiney women......cry foul first, threaten next and than try crying again.

However, they want to be one of the boys.

Good for Mr. White!

[moron]

White is very stupid. What kind of moron would talk about possibly half of his fighters and all of his audience. What a sissy sport who else would want to watch sissys wrap their legs around each other.

[Jaysin Hooligan]

This is complete BS. The Assn. of Women in Sports Media are just like all of those other hypocritical groups that start crying when ever something is said about them. When a journalist writes something, or says something about someone else it is all ok. But when that person comes back to rant about what was said about them then that is wrong? What is the difference? There is no difference. That is what makes them hypocritical. Then this stuff about intimidation and a hostile workplace... give it a rest. That is part of being a sports journalist whether you are a man, a woman, Rupaul, it does not matter! If Jenni Carlson starts crying and hiding behind some writers group every time someone bashes her for an article she writes, then she is in the wrong line of work. If she let's what someone like Dana White (a foul mouthed, arrogant, marketing genius) said about her, bother her that much, then she needs a therapist, not a writers group. Grow up people... nuff said.