Tyson Fury kisses gay man, claims he’s not homophobic
By Will Stroude
As the controversy over Tyson Fury’s BBC Sports Personality of the Year award nomination continues, the heavyweight boxer has reportedly kissed a gay man and claimed he’s not homophobic.
Shop manager Paul Cole says he ran into the controversy-baiting sportsman in a Lancashire bar, where he challenged him on his recent spate of gay-hating comments, which have included telling reporters that homosexuality will bring about the end of days.
Photos | Jim Clarke
Explaining the encounter to The Sun, the 41-year-old said: “I told him, ‘I can’t stand you’. He said he wasn’t homophobic and suddenly rubbed my beard and kissed me on both cheeks. I’ve changed my mind about him.
The 41-year-old added: “He’s a big friendly giant who’d float my boat if he was gay.”
Forgive us if we’re not totally sold on that one Paul.
Over a hundred thousand people have already signed a Change.org petition calling for Fury’s removal from the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year shortlist over his previous sexist and homophobic remarks, which have also included comparing homosexuality to paedophilia.
The boxer has since called those who’ve signed the petition “50,000 wankers”, and told them they can “suck [his] balls”, while the BBC has repeatedly defended its decision to nominate the recently-crowned heavyweight champion of the world.
BBC Newsline reporter Andy West has been officially suspended pending an internal investigation after publicly criticising the corporation’s stance.
West wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post that the controversy had made him “ashamed to work for the BBC”, and accused his employer of “hurting me and other gay people by celebrating someone who considers me no better than a paedophile”.
The broadcaster also issued a public apology after another of its staff members – BBC News anchor Clive Myrie – referred to Fury as a “dickhead” during a live broadcast – click here to find out more.
As the BBC faces mounting public pressure over the Fury fiasco, the boxer’s fellow SPOTY nominee Greg Rutherford has revealed he has taken his concerns about the heavyweight boxer’s nomination directly to the broadcaster.
Rutherford issued a statement earlier this week confirming that he will remain in the running for the prestigious annual award alongside Fury, but denounced the 27-year-old’s “very out-dated and derogatory comments”.
The BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year Award ceremony is set to take place in Belfast this Sunday (December 20).
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