CNN sports anchor Andy Scholes apologized after facing backlash over comments he made regarding golf legend Tiger Woods’ car crash on Tuesday.
Scholes spoke with CNN’s Brianna Keilar shortly after reports of the car crash when not much information had been made available to the public. Scholes suggested that Woods’ history with painkillers could have been the cause of the accident and said he wasn’t “entirely surprised” by the news.
“I mean, Brianna, you know, stunned I guess but not entirely surprised by what we’re seeing here,” Scholes told Keilar. “You know, Tiger in 2017 was found by police pulled over on the side of the road asleep in his car. He had said he had taken a lot of painkillers at that time, because we all know Tiger has gone under a lot of surgeries over the years and painkillers have become part of his life.”
The comments sparked backlash online. USA Today’s Sports Media race and inclusion editor Hemal Jhaveri called it “irresponsible journalism” and pointed out that they “don’t know anything yet.” (RELATED: Tiger Woods Showed No Immediate Signs Of Impairment After Roll-Over Car Crash, Deputies Say)
“CNN needs to get some real sports reporters,” Jhaveri wrote.
Scholes repeatedly apologized online to various critics after the comments began rolling in, Fox News reported. “I’m sorry. This was delivered poorly,” he told one user.
WATCH:
I’m sorry. This was delivered poorly
— Andy Scholes (@AndyScholesCNN) February 23, 2021
Really sorry. Didn’t mean for it to come out that way
— Andy Scholes (@AndyScholesCNN) February 23, 2021
Completely agree. Again sorry for the way that came out
— Andy Scholes (@AndyScholesCNN) February 23, 2021
Woods has “multiple leg injuries” but his condition isn’t life-threatening, Fire Chief Daryl Osby said after the accident. As of now, there is no evidence that he was impaired, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said during a press conference.