Nike, the sports megabrand, announced on Wednesday that it has terminated its endorsement contract with Manny Pacquiao after the boxing champ made derogatory remarks towards same-sex relatuionships.
Manny provokes storm by calling gay people “worse than animals”. He apologized on Twitter within hours.
Nike released statement that reads: “We find Manny Pacquiao’s comments abhorrent. Nike strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has a long history of the LGBT community. We no longer have a relationship with Manny Pacquiao.
Pacquiao has endorsed Nike for a little more than eight years.
Earlier, an online petition was launched asking Nike to drop Pacquiao as an endorser.
Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, CEO of Top Rank said he understood Nike’s decision. “Nike is in the business of selling its products to as wide of an audience as they can, and Manny’s comments were insulting to a lot of people. “Arum told ESPN.com.
“His comments were made to a Filipino audience, where same-sex marriage is not as accepted as it is here, and Manny is a convert of enlightened Christianity, which does not believe in same-sex relationships. But to people in the United States, his words can only viewed as hate speech.If I was running Nike, I would have to make the same decision they did.”
Gay and lesbian groups, have called on voters to boycott Pacquiao as he bids for a Senate seat in May elections. Vice Ganda, the county’s most popular comedian posted: “Some people think they can judge people like God just because they’ve attented a prayer meeting and read the Bible. The Senate needs experts on politics and law, not blind prophets.”
