Longtime ESPN Reporter Leaves Job With Network Over Disney Vaccination Mandate
An ESPN reporter has left the company after refusing to comply with the Disney vaccine mandate. Allison Williams, a sideline reporter that covers college football and basketball, announced on an Instagram video that she was not going to get the vaccine as she and her husband were trying for a second child. But she said her "request for accommodation" was denied.
"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 the video. "And I've had to really dig deep and analyze 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." Disney will begin its vaccine mandate on Friday. Back in September, Williams announced that she is was opting out of the season due to not getting the vaccine.
"While my work is incredibly important to me, the most important role I have is as a mother," Williams wrote on Twitter. "Throughout our family planning with our doctor, as well as a fertility specialist, I have decided not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at this time while my husband and I try for a second child.
"This was a deeply difficult decision to make and it's not something I take lightly. I understand vaccines have been essential in the effort to end this pandemic; however, taking the vaccine at this time is not in my best interest. After a lot of prayer and deliberation, I have decided I must put my family and personal health first. 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, 37, has been with ESPN since 2011. She was also a sideline reporter and host for the Miami Marlins and covered the Florida Panthers.