Though the September 11 incident at Jets practice (and thereafter in the locker room) generated plenty of headlines for most of last week, the situation has largely disappeared from view. But the reporter at the center of the storm -- who seemed to relish the attention that the controversy created -- has taken a shot at the organization that helped make her story even more of a story.
According to FOX, Ines Sainz recently wrote a column for the El Universal newspaper of Mexico City in which she criticized the Association for Women in Sports Media for making such a fuss about the situation. (The ill-advised title of the column was, “My September 11th in New York.”)
“Today I wonder why a well respected association such as the AWSM, within its right to inform about any violations of work conditions for its members, acted so impulsively,” Sainz wrote. “Considering that the AWSM was in fact worried about the event and about my integrity as a woman and newsperson, why did I never receive a call from them, and why were all these deeds denounced [by the AWSM] with such certainty?”
Here’s why. Because other reporters witnessed the conduct, other reporters found it to be inappropriate and/or offensive, and other reporters didn’t need Sainz’s consent or permission to make their feelings known.
“A group of news people and communicators, eager to make an even bigger scandal out of this situation, have moved women’s rights backwards at least 50 years,” Sainz added. “I am surprised by how easily some colleagues skip the basic rules of journalism: one should investigate, inquire, and look at the facts before giving an opinion.”
But what else should have been done? This wasn’t about whether Sainz found the conduct to be offensive, it was about whether the conduct objectively was appropriate -- and potentially offensive to other female reporters who witnessed it. The NFL found that the behavior wasn’t appropriate; thus, the AWSM was fully within its rights to complain, especially since Sainz presumably wouldn’t have said a word about it (unless and until she realized the potential boost it could provide to her career).
We’re not surprised that Sainz, whose statements have been at times inconsistent throughout this episode, would now bite the hand that fed her publicity machine. Then again, with the issue between Sainz and the Jets resolved, Sainz needs to find a way to create even more press and attention for herself. So why not complain publicly about the group that helped her get all that publicity in the first place?
