Chris Gayle was slapped with a $10,000 fine from Melbourne Renegades over his comments to Channel Ten's Mel McLaughlin but won't face any further action from Cricket Australia over the incident.

On Tuesday, Gayle described his attempt to flirt with McLaughlin during a sideline interview as "a simple joke" that had been blown out of proportion and apologised for any offence caused.

However, the West Indian's comments drew widespread condemnation as sexist and inappropriate, prompting Renegades' chief executive Stuart Coventry to offer McLaughlin an unreserved apology.

Coventry defended the decision to issue a fine instead of a suspension, describing the situation as a "one-off", with Gayle's exemplary conduct since he joined Renegades taken into account in arriving at the penalty.

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"We think that it's probably more of a cultural indifference (as to) why he said it and it was done in jest but it's inappropriate and we've taken this course of action," Coventry said.

"We had a look at some history and precedents established in the past and the circumstance that was in place this time and we think that this is a one-off scenario.

"We looked at Chris's attitude over the past four or five weeks in the Big Bash and it's been first-class and outstanding."

Coventry said that Gayle was "quite surprised" when informed of the punishment, which will be donated to the McGrath Foundation.

He added that Gayle had been happy to apologise either on-air or privately to McLaughlin, while Monday night's match against Hobart Hurricanes was still in progress but that had proved too difficult to arrange.

CA chief executive James Sutherland strongly condemned the 36-year-old's behaviour and said Gayle had been put on notice, but declined to take the matter any further.

"I reiterate my view that Chris got it badly wrong last night," Sutherland said.

"We are working incredibly hard to ensure cricket is a sport for all Australians - men and women, boys and girls - and we just wont tolerate behaviour that undermines that ambition.

"The public's damning response to his comments demonstrate just what people expect of our elite cricketers.

"As the sanction has been imposed by his club, CA will not be laying a charge under our code of behaviour, but we will be formally putting Chris on notice that if anything like this happens again in the BBL, the consequences will be far more severe."

Gayle is set to be dropped from future Channel Ten BBL broadcasts with network sports boss David Barham denouncing his comments as highly inappropriate.

Barham said that he contacted McLaughlin immediately after the incident, describing her as angry and upset.

Former Test opener Chris Rogers said he had distanced himself from Gayle while playing alongside him at Sydney Thunder and was concerned by the example he set for younger players.

"This is a pattern of behaviour," Rogers told ABC's Grandstand.

"If you know the guy you see it over and over."

Gayle is free to play in the rematch of Saturday's historic Melbourne derby that attracted nearly 81,000 fans to the MCG when Renegades take on Melbourne Stars at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.