West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle leaves the New South Wales Supreme Court in Sydney on October 25, 2017. Massage therapist Leanne Russell said she "cried uncontrollably" after star West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle allegedly exposed himself to her, telling a Sydney court it left her "very upset". Gayle is suing Fairfax Media newspapers The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times over a series of stories in January last year detailing the lurid accusations. / AFP PHOTO / WILLIAM WEST
The allegations of sexual harassment against Chris Gayle has impacted negatively on his mental well-being.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Donovan Miller, a cricket coach based in the United Kingdom and close friend of the West Indian cricket star, on Thursday testified that the 37-year-old has become “very reserved and scared” in public spaces, “especially around females”.
He was called in as a character witness for Gayle as the cricketer fights Australia’s Fairfax Media in court over defamation charges.
The media group wrote a series of articles last year detailing how he allegedly exposed himself to a female masseuse during 2015’s World Cup.
Miller stated that Gayle has become concerned that some parties are “out to get him”.
“You can see that the incident has affected him a lot,” he said.
“You look in his eyes and you can see he’s really hurting about it.”
Gayle’s goodwill towards the broader community is also reflected by the establishment of his foundation.
“I’m a big believer in helping young people,” Miller said.
“We needed someone like Chris with a big reputation; a big figurehead. Everyone loves him. He spends a lot of time … with the fans.”
Earlier, Julie Bland, a massage therapist, confirmed that she had met Leanne Russell – the woman who made the allegations against Gayle – and that she confided in her about the incident.
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