“It's common sense. Do you see animals mating with the same sex? Animals are better because they can distinguish male from female. If men mate with men and women mate with women they are worse than animals."
The words rang a death toll for the eight-time boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, as Nike dropped him for the second time after making anti-gay comments. The first time was when the label opted not to renew his contract at the end of 2012 when the boxer made similar comments on same-sex marriages.
Even after issuing an apology via Twitter, it wasn't enough to erase the damage.
I'm sorry for hurting people by comparing homosexuals to animals. Please forgive me for those I've hurt. God Bless! pic.twitter.com/bqjRcWqp8R
— Manny Pacquiao (@mannypacquiao) February 16, 2016
And on Instagram:
Nike responded with a curt dismiss, the brand's official statement:
“We find Manny Pacquiao’s comments abhorrent. 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.”
According to Forbes.com, Manny is listed as second in the World's Highest-Paid Athletes in 2015 with a total earnings of $160 million—$148 million from salary/winnings plus $12 million in endorsement deals including Nike's.
What do you guys think of Manny's remarks? We'd love a discussion. Leave a comment below!
Photo from @mannypacquiao on Instagram
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
