Lisa Olson
Lisa Olson is an American sports journalist whose career has spanned multiple continents and earned her recognition in the field of sports media. Her work has been featured in the anthology *The Best American Sports Writing*, and she has held notable positions at several major publications. Prior to her current roles, she served as a sports columnist for the *New York Daily News* and was the first female sports columnist for the *Sydney Morning Herald*, where she covered a wide range of sports including rugby union, Australian rules football, cricket, and rugby league. She also worked as a national columnist for AOL's FanHouse sports website and became the first woman in the 120-year history of *Sporting News* to write the magazine's monthly back page. A member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, Lisa Olson is also a Hall of Fame voter. Her reporting has taken her to diverse locations, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Japan, China, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Alleged Sexual Harassment and Its Aftermath
Women's access to post-game locker room interviews in sports journalism was historically limited. A federal court decision in 1978 mandated equal access, and the NFL implemented its own equal access policy in 1985. However, these policies were not universally enforced until incidents like the one involving Lisa Olson brought attention to ongoing disparities.
On September 17, 1990, while working at the *Boston Herald*, Lisa Olson was interviewing New England Patriots players in the team's locker room on a practice day. According to her account, several players made inappropriate comments and gestures, including one player who allegedly fondled his genitals in her presence. Another player, Robert Perryman, allegedly did the same while her back was turned, though the details of how she became aware of this are unclear. Other players, including Michael Timpson, allegedly egged each other on with vulgar jokes. Lisa Olson claimed that James Oldham, the team's director of media relations, was present during the incident but took no action.
Following the incident, Lisa Olson described the experience as a "mind rape." Team owner Victor Kiam reportedly referred to her as a "classic bitch" and later admitted to calling her a "classy bitch" after public backlash. In February 1991, Kiam made a controversial joke about the incident at a male-only sports banquet, drawing further criticism. He apologized for the remark two days later.
An investigation led by former Watergate prosecutor Philip Heymann, commissioned by NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, resulted in a 60-page report concluding that Lisa Olson had been "degraded and humiliated." The investigation led to fines: $12,500 for Zeke Mowatt, $5,000 each for Robert Perryman and Michael Timpson, and a $50,000 fine for the Patriots organization. Half of the team's fine was allocated to produce instructional materials for the league. Tagliabue wrote to Kiam, stating the incident had "damaged" the league, and the team's general manager was subsequently fired.
The incident sparked public backlash, with Lisa Olson reportedly facing harassment from Patriots fans, including slashed tires, hate mail, and death threats. Her apartment was burglarized, and the *Boston Herald*'s owner, News Corporation, offered her a transfer to Australia. She accepted the offer, working for *The Daily Telegraph* in Sydney and later for the *Sydney Morning Herald*.
On April 25, 1991, Lisa Olson filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts state court against the Patriots, Kiam, team officials, and the three players involved, alleging violations of her civil rights, sexual harassment, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and damage to her professional reputation. The lawsuit was settled in February 1992 on undisclosed terms.
References
- [Washington Post article on Olson's lawsuit](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1991/04/26/reporter-lisa-olson-files-civil-rights-suit-against-patriots/4172af03-4e4f-43f0-9107-3e415249b855/) - [Archived link to related coverage](https://archive.is/wip/uj3Ry)
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