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Nike axes Pacquiao contract over gay slurs — official


Los Angeles - US sports equipment giant Nike on Wednesday severed its relationship with Manny Pacquiao, lashing out at the Filipino boxer's remarks in which he described homosexuals as "worse than animals."

"We find Manny Pacquiao's comments abhorrent," a Nike statement said. "Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of supporting and standing up for the rights of the LGBT community.

"We no longer have a relationship with Manny Pacquiao, which is accurate."

The decision of the US-based company, came after a New York-based Filipino submitted a petition asking the firm to cut its ties with Pacquiao.

Aries Dela Cruz, in the website change.org, started gathering signatories on a pledge to boycott Nike products until the brand breaks their sponsorship deals with Pacman.

Pacquiao, the incumbent Sarangani representative, is running for senator in the May elections.

He said, in an online interview about same-sex marriage, that gay sex couples are "worse than animals."

"Pacquiao's expressions of homophobia and bigotry disqualifies him from being honored, endorsed and sponsored by one of the world's largest publicly-traded and owned athletic companies," the petition read.

The petition was signed by about 1,500 netizens, including cultural activist Carlos Celdran.

Nike is a supporter of the LGBT Sports Coalition, an initiative to "end discrimination in sport," which the company helped found in 2011.

Pacquiao's statement received backlash on social media, with celebrities and LGBT advocates expressing their disapproval.

The Filipino ring icon has since apologized for offending the gay community, but held firm on his belief that same-sex marriage is considered a sin in Christian values.

Dela Cruz urged Nike to lend their support to the LGBT cause and cease its association with Pacquiao.

"We call upon Nike to stand with the global LGBT community to send a strong and clear message of respect, inclusion, and tolerance to for  athletes, gay or straight, as well as their fans and consumers," he said. — Agence France-Presse with Marisse Panaligan, BAP, GMA News

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