The sports presenter is the subject of one of multiple allegations of harassment currently being handled by the BBC.

The BBC Radio 5 Live sports presenter George Riley has been suspended by the broadcaster following complaints of sexual harassment.

Riley was due to be presenting covering of the rugby league World Cup for 5 Live but was absent from the coverage of Saturday’s match between Wales and Papua New Guinea.

Riley has been contacted for comment. It is understood that the BBC’s internal corporate security and investigations team is handling multiple allegations of sexual harassment, including the allegations against Riley. The team is led by Carol Ann Kinley-Smith, a former Metropolitan police detective.

The BBC has encouraged staff to come forward with complaints since the Harvey Weinstein scandal began. Weinstein faces numerous allegations of sexual assault and harassment.

The allegations against Riley were first reported by the Sunday Times, which said that a “secret group of the BBC’s top female presenters”, including Mishal Husain and Victoria Derbyshire, had uncovered suspected cases of sexual harassment at the broadcaster.

On Sunday Husain hit back at the article, which included a photo of the Radio 4 Today programme presenter on the front page of the newspaper. She posted a statement on Twitter that said: “Today the Sunday Times used my name and image in a story headlined ‘Top BBC women expose sex pests’.

“It is an inaccurate portrayal of conversations women at the BBC have been having since the pay gaps were identified in July. Our group acts as a forum for female colleagues to come together, which many of us wish had existed earlier in our careers and which discusses a wide range of issues, offering support and advice where necessary.

“It is wrong to portray it as being focused on sexual harassment or targeting individuals.”

This week the BBC’s deputy director general, Anne Bulford, wrote to all staff, saying: “There’s been a lot of press coverage and comment recently about bullying and harassment in the entertainment industry, and more broadly. Tony Hall [the director general] and I have written to you a number of times on this.

“We have a duty of care to protect you – one we take extremely seriously. I just want to remind you what to do if you want to raise any concerns. Please be assured that we will continue to handle any issues raised sensitively.”

A BBC spokesman said: “We can’t comment on individuals, but treat any allegations seriously and have processes in place for investigating them.”