The sports editor apologizes and fires a sportsreporter who claimed to be at game, but was watching on TV. The reporter also used old and unattributed quotes. So, ethics lapses can hurt a sports writer. Don't do a "Jayson Blair." You can learn how to avoid "word crimes" by going through our elearning module sacbee.com -- Sports -- An apology to our readers : "An apology to our readers

Published 2:15 a.m. PDT Wednesday, August 20, 2003
On Aug. 7, a story on the cover of the Sports section about the Giants game at Pacific Bell Park was filed by a Bee reporter who was not at the game. The reporter watched the game on television at a location away from the stadium.

He filed his story without telling editors at The Bee his true location, leaving the impression he covered the game from the ballpark.

In addition, it was discovered later that the story included quotes from other media outlets that were unattributed and old, made to reporters on a previous occasion before the day of the game.

The story violated basic journalistic values and ethics as practiced by The Bee.

The reporter involved, Jim Van Vliet, no longer works at the newspaper.

The Bee regrets the situation and apologizes to its readers.

Armando Acuña
Sports editor"