Bullying claims fly in newsroom Serena Williams. When Channel 10 news presenter Sandra Sully came forward with claims that she was bullied for a decade by a fellow worker, one of the first people to side with her was Channel 7 sports presenter Jim Wilson. He took to Twitter to support her and media picked up his tweet. Wilson wrote: "The only positive to come out of @Sandra_Sully being bullied in the workplace is that others won't suffer in silence, all courage Sandra!" An admirable stance ... but here is the issue for Wilson - he has been subject of a complaint of, wait for it - bullying. The alleged matter took place a few months ago and an official complaint was made by a freelance reporter against Wilson to his boss, news director Chris Willis. The complaint was dealt with in less than 24 hours and dismissed, much to the dismay of the freelancer, who was distressed by the matter - so much so that he ended his association with the network. Wilson telephoned the reporter after a bulletin aired and ripped into him, expressing his dismay about a motor racing story. Ironically, he was blowing up because he felt a rival station had handled coverage of a blow-up between drivers in pit lane in a better fashion. The aggrieved reporter wrote a letter to Willis, which was leaked to me after Wilson's tweet. It reads: "Dear Chris, I am writing to let you know I won't be pursuing any further freelance shifts at Channel 7. During my shift yesterday, I was the victim of bullying of the highest order levelled at me by sports presenter Jim Wilson. It was in the form of a phone call and involved verbal abuse through shouting and high-level profanity. I'm writing to encourage you to investigate the events, especially considering he was in the wrong and he clearly has a hidden agenda as to why he would abuse me in such a vulgar, unprofessional and unpredictable manner. It is worth noting that it wasn't the first time. I have a detailed diary record of these events including witnesses. As a sports journalist and presenter of 13 years standing, I have had many robust and vigorous discussions in the newsroom about the merits of stories. However, I have never encountered such vitriol. I'm currently considering the bullying levelled at me and the options to take. What a shame. When contacted about the matter, Wilson said: "I am anti-bullying and always have been. I made a phone call as a senior sports person at the network to talk about how the story was handled. I was the victim of an outburst and foul language, not the other way around. To suggest otherwise is wrong. My director of news who your letter was addressed to, deputy news director, network news director and our head of security have heard his voicemail and his abusive language and agreed it was unacceptable and posed a risk. The reply from Willis to the aggrieved freelancer was swift. Thanks for your attachment letter. I note your decision not to seek any more freelance work with us, which, whilst sad, is your prerogative and one we must accept. I am sorry that things ended up the way they did but there doesn't seem any point now in debating it, given that you have made your decision. I look forward to our paths crossing again and, in the meantime, all the best. Network news director Rob Raschke stood up for Wilson, saying "Seven News has the highest standards and we won't lower them for anyone." Williams gives a lift to an Aussie outfit You could never accuse Serena Williams of being anything but brash and she's shown her trademark confidence in a revealing sports bra advertising campaign for pioneering Australian company Berlei. Williams will be trying to win her fifth US Open at Flushing Meadows next week but the reigning champion has never won back-to-back titles in the Big Apple. ""I'm feeling great. I always get excited in the lead-up to the US Open. It's been a great tournament for me."" Williams is the top seed but has drawn 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the first round. Remote control Bruno Cullen was something of phantom chief executive at the Sharks. He was hardly the 24-7 operator the club needed and that's why Sharks players are so peeved at the spray he delivered on the ABC. The players are of the firm belief he had no connection with them. Cullen addressed them once as a group and leading players say he had no idea how they were feeling and did not know if any of them wanted to "break ranks" and accept the six-month bans on offer from ASADA to roll over on their mates. In that one meeting with the players, Cullen told them he hoped he would not be at the Sharks long. Stuart's a stayer Ricky Stuart has been linked to the Raiders job time and again but the Eels coach has a hell of a task at his current club. Stuart would be within his rights to walk away from Parramatta, which have speared their chief executive and have a volcanic board. He has a halfback in rehab and the instability at the club makes it difficult to recruit. But despite grounds for itchy feet, Stuart has enormous respect for his players and feels he owes them. That is why he stays. On the wrong track There is talk that the ASADA investigation may spread north of the border. If it doesn't, the investigators are not doing their job properly. Sharks players were asked during their interviews about a Castle Hill clinic run by Walter Reynolds, who has been convicted for supplying steroids. The investigators are exploring whether there is a link between Reynolds, controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank and the Sharks. That would give them the "organised crime" link they promised at the start of this investigation. Reynolds' name drew a blank with the Sharks players who have been discussing this matter. I've heard that ASADA investigators may be looking in the wrong area and at the wrong teams. Bombers hit hard The phone call that "Sarah," mother of one of the Essendon players, made to Eddie McGuire on Triple M in Melbourne has been described as a game-changer by everyone who has heard it. She was sobbing at the thought that the club had used her son as "a guinea pig." This has rattled the Essendon club in a big way, especially James Hird. Behind the scenes, the Bombers are trying to rectify the situation any way they can and an approach has been made to Stephen Dank to speak to family members to assure them everything he did was not going to endanger their health. View the situation how you like but like the Cronulla situation, every player was told what was being injected and what's more, they were given the option of not taking part in the program. Dank has been asked by the media if he would inject his kids. It's a question he can't answer as he does not have children but he maintains his actions were not unsafe. The AFL report into Essendon painted Dank as incompetent and unprofessional. Perhaps the biggest swipe at him was the accusation that he worked in aseptic conditions - in other words, his environment was unclean and his practices were sloppy. Dank is fuming about the suggestion. He says he swabbed before and after injections, used gloves when administering the injections and wore gloves when he was giving players tablets. Dank met two of the leading experts in peptides from the USA at the weekend. Vote of confidence When word came out that Wests Tigers media manager Wayne Cousins wouldn't be required next year, some players paid tribute to him on Twitter. Benji Marshall ran past Cousins in front of the gathered media at training during the week and said he was removing a knife from Cousins' back. The Tigers are going to need an outstanding operator to replace Cousins; hopefully talk of replacing him with a junior is just that. The benefits of a smart media operator can be seen at the Sharks. Their media man, Rob Willis, has handled a terrible year with class and nous. Ref's on the outer Jason Robinson appears to be so far on the outer at the NRL that he has no future in refereeing. This column recently broke the news that Robinson was embroiled in a scandal relating to fellow referee Gavin Badger and his wife, Kasey Badger. Robinson refereed the Dragons-Tigers game on Saturday but don't expect to see him on the field next year. The bore war Has the ARU told its players to bore the public to death? The lack of emotion and personality Australia's rugby players display is amazing - even more so when you know there are some good stories and personalities in the game. Rugby has its big events, but if it ever wants to get the media space it deserves, it needs to loosen up a lot.