Ex-Rugby coach Warren Ryan hands in resignation to ABC over racism allegations

Former rugby league football coach and player from Australia, Warren Ryan, has reportedly handed in his resignation to long-time employer to the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) over racist remark allegations.

Ryan reportedly ended an association with rugby league that has stretched over five decades as he handed in his resignation to the American commercial broadcast television network.

Ryan and his fellow commentator David Morrow had been stood down pending an investigation into allegations that he made a racist remark that went on air a fortnight ago, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

The premiership-winning coach, who made a successful transition to the media, was reportedly alleged to have used the term 'old darky' during the call of the recent Sydney Roosters-Canterbury match, but Ryan has made no apologies for the remark that effectively cut short a career spanning more than two decades at the station.

Ryan said that the ABC has suspended him pending an investigation, so he has resigned to save them the trouble of conducting it.

Ryan added that he has outlined his reasons for not wanting to continue there in a letter to the company.

Ryan further said that as for the injustice done to Morrow in standing him down, he was not even listening when the former rugby player had been comparing a blow-up on the field between the referee and a player to a scene in the film Gone with the Wind.

Ryan said that Morrow only rejoined the commentary as he finished describing the humorous movie scene, adding that the word used to describe the character was a direct quote from the film and there was no offence intended, so he will not be apologizing as it would be insincere.