Mark Lennihan/AP
- John Skipper has unexpectedly resigned as president of ESPN.
- Skipper cited his long struggle with substance abuse and that he wants to take care of the problem.
- Skipper has been president of ESPN since 2012.
John Skipper has resigned as president of ESPN in a surprise move, the company announced on Monday.
Skipper released a statement citing a long history of substance addiction.
"Today I have resigned from my duties as President of ESPN," Skipper said in a statement. "I have struggled for many years with a substance addiction. I have decided that the most important thing I can do right now is to take care of my problem."
According to James Andrew Miller, author of "Those Guys Have All The Fun: Inside the World of ESPN," there are no other reasons for Skipper's resignation.
"This is an addication story," Miller wrote on Twitter. "Nothing else."
Disney CEO Bob Iger announced that former ESPN president George Bodenheimer will serve as acting chair of ESPN until a replacement is found.
Skipper added that he told the company of his decision and that both sides "mutually agreed" that it was best for him to resign.
"I come to this public disclosure with embarrassment, trepidation and a feeling of having let others I care about down," Skipper said. "As I deal with this issue and what it means to me and my family, I ask for appropriate privacy and a little understanding."
This is a developing story.