FS1 has reportedly placed executive vice president of content Charlie Dixon on leave after being named as a defendant in two separate lawsuits filed by former Fox Sports employees in recent months. According to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand and Katie Strang, the decision follows serious allegations against him.
A former Los Angeles-based FS1 hairstylist, Noushin Faraji, alleged that Dixon groped her in January 2017. Her extensive lawsuit also claimed that Dixon was romantically involved with FS1 talent, provided them with preferential treatment, and misused company funds to silence his wife regarding these affairs. Last week, former FS1 host Julie Stewart-Binks filed a lawsuit asserting that Dixon forcibly kissed her in his hotel room in January 2016.
In response to Stewart-Binks’ lawsuit, Fox released a statement to The Athletic, stating, “These allegations are from over eight years ago. At the time, we promptly hired a third-party firm to investigate and addressed the matter based on their findings.” Dixon has not responded to requests for comment, and Fox did not confirm his administrative leave.
As Fox prepares to host Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans this week, it has made its first official move to address the unsettling rumors that have emerged surrounding FS1 since the news of Faraji’s lawsuit broke via Front Office Sports in early January. The personal and professional conduct of FS1 talent, including Speak‘s Joy Taylor and The Facility‘s Emmanuel Acho, was implicated in Faraji’s lawsuit, yet both have remained on air without making public statements regarding the lawsuit. Both Speak and The Facility will air live from Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Thursday and Friday as part of Fox’s Super Bowl coverage.
