Chris Gayle's interview with female reporter Mel McLaughlin has been described as bordering on workplace harassment by Cricket Australia.
Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland says Chris Gayle's controversial sideline interview with Mel McLaughlin bordered on workplace harassment.
West Indies cricket star Gayle on Tuesday described his attempt to flirt with the Network Ten reporter live on air during Monday night's Big Bash League match as a "simple joke" with no offence or disrespect intended.
However, Sutherland is not ruling out sanctions against Gayle who has been widely condemned for inappropriate chauvinistic behaviour.
"Anyone that sees the humour in that is misunderstanding and somewhat delusional about the situation," Sutherland told reporters on Tuesday in Sydney.
"It is a workplace situation. It is inappropriate and it is very public. That just goes to the point about how inappropriate and just not cool that is."
Former Independent Member and anti-violence campaigner Phil Cleary has described Chris Gayle's behaviour as "pathetic".
"It sexualised a woman who was interviewing him," he told SBS News.
"It derided the professionalism of the woman and portrayed her as nothing more than a sexual object."
Mr Cleary said Gayle's subsequent apology, which included comments that the incident had been 'blown out of proportion', missed the point.
