Nick Kyrgios Nick Kyrgios has defended his role as a pundit on the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage this summer, after the broadcaster was criticised for hiring the controversial tennis player. In 2022, Kyrgios pled guilty to pushing his then girlfriend Chiara Passari onto a pavement during an argument, causing her minor injuries. The magistrate did not record a conviction against Kyrgios, describing the incident as an act of “stupidity” and “frustration” but one which was not premeditated.
The magistrate also dismissed the offence on the basis that it was at the low end of seriousness for common assault. His appointment by the BBC has drawn criticism, with Caroline Nokes, the Conservative MP and women and equalities committee chair, saying: “The BBC should hang its head in shame ..
. It’s a disgrace and shows the utter contempt our national broadcaster has towards women. “Not content with consistently underpaying their own female staff and forcing out women once they hit a certain age, they now bring a man who admitted assaulting a woman on board for Wimbledon.
” The BBC defended its position, saying in a statement: “As a current and high profile player, Nick Kyrgios will provide insight and analysis of the action on the court from his experience in the game. “We are in no way condoning his cited previous actions or behaviours, on and off the court, and he is employed to share his views on tennis only. He has provided similar services to other major sports broadc.
