NFL star Cam Newton loses sponsor over sexist comments

National Football League star Cam Newton has lost one of his sponsors after laughing at a female journalist who asked him a question.

The Carolina Panthers quarterback, who was voted the league’s most valuable player in 2015, smirked when asked a question by a female reporter from the Charlotte Observer newspaper.

Jourdan Rodrigue quizzed Newton about the play of one of his wide receivers, Devin Funchess, at a news conference.

In response, Newton laughed and said: "It’s funny to hear a female talk about routes (a pattern an NFL player runs on the field). It’s funny."

He went on to answer the question – but Ms Rodrigue tweeted afterwards:

Yoghurt maker Dannon said it was cutting ties with the quarterback, who was the number one pick in the 2011 NFL draft.

In a statement, the company said Newton’s response was "sexist and disparaging to all women… It’s simply not OK to belittle anyone based on gender.

"We have shared our concerns with Cam and will no longer be working with him."

The NFL said on Wednesday that Newton’s behaviour was "just plain wrong and disrespectful to the exceptional female reporters and all journalists who cover our league".

But on the prospect of any punishment, the league demurred, with spokesman Joe Lockhart saying: "I think there are conversations going on at the club level with the appropriate people, with the Panthers.

"I don’t want to anticipate the league stepping in there."

Team spokesman Steven Drummond said Newton spoke to Ms Rodrigue after the news conference and expressed regret for what he said.

But Ms Rodrigue disputed this in a statement, and said: "(I) was dismayed by his response, which not only belittled me but countless other women before me and beside me who work in similar jobs.

"I sought Mr Newton out as he left the locker room a few minutes later. He did not apologise for his comments."

(c) Sky News 2017: NFL star Cam Newton loses sponsor over sexist comments