Gorilla or guerrilla? ESPN drops Aus commentator for Venus slur
January 20, 2017  11:54
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Commentator Doug Adler has been dropped by sports broadcaster ESPN after he compared Venus Williams to a 'gorilla', but the former has insisted that the word he used at the Australian Open was 'guerrilla'.   

"During an Australian Open stream on ESPN3, Doug Adler should have been more careful in his word selection," an ESPN statement said.      

"He has apologised and we have removed him from his remaining assignments."   

The 59-year-old Adler, a former player himself, made the comment during the second-round match on Wednesday, during Venus's match against Stefanie Voegele. 

He said Voegele "misses a first serve and Venus is all over her. You see Venus move in and put the gorilla effect on, charging."   

A report on ESPN website said: "Because the words gorilla and guerrilla are pronounced similarly, it's impossible to say for certain which word Adler spoke."  
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