American TV presenter has walked away over vaccine stance

This presenter has walked away from her TV network for good and is refusing to back down one her vaccination views.

American TV presenter Allison Williams is out at ESPN due to the company’s Covid-19 vaccine mandate.

The college football and basketball sideline reporter, who announced last month she was opting out of the season because she had not received the vaccine as she and her husband tried for a second child, said her “request for accommodation” had been denied.

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Effective next week, Williams said, she will be “separated from the company”.

“Belief is a word I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, because in addition to the medical apprehensions regarding my desire to have another child in regards to receiving this injection, I am also so morally and ethically not aligned with this,” Williams said in an Instagram video.

“And I’ve had to really dig deep and analyse my values and my morals, and ultimately I need to put them first.

“And the irony in all this is that a lot of those same values and principals I hold so dear are what made me a really good employee and probably helped with the success that I’ve been able to have in my career.”

ESPN Reporter Allison Williams attends the Unbridled Eve Gala during the 144th Kentucky Derby in 2018. Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images fro Unbridled Eve.

Alison Williams sideline. Photo: Instagram, @allisonw_espn

She earlier posted on Twitter: “My heart hurts posting this, but I’m at peace with my decision.”

Williams, 37, has been at ESPN since 2011. She said she was trying to wrap her head around the idea that the national championship in January might have been the last college football game she will work.

There is no evidence that shows any Covid-19 vaccines cause fertility problems.

Disney’s vaccine mandate — which also drew criticism from “SportsCenter” host Sage Steele, who eventually got vaccinated — is set go into effect on Friday.

Disney is ESPN’s parent company and announced last month that all employees were required to be fully vaccinated.

Williams explained her decision also took into account her recognition that the vaccine is “essential in the effort to end this pandemic”.

“After a lot of prayer and deliberation, I have decided I must put my family and personal health first,” she said.

“I will miss being on the sidelines and am thankful for the support of my ESPN family. I look forward to when I can return to the games and job that I love.”

Williams had been one of ESPN’s most prominent sideline reporters for college football and basketball games. On at least one occasion — last October’s match-up between Miami and Clemson — she was on the network’s top broadcast team with Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as American TV presenter has walked away over vaccine stance