“I have a relative who is also gay.”

Yesterday we brought you the news that yet another sports personality had put their foot in it when speaking out about same-sex equality and marriage. WBO Weltereight champion, Manny Pacquiao told a conservative website/publication that,

If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

He also said,

God only expects man and woman to be together and to be legally married, only if they so are in love with each other. It should not be of the same sex so as to adulterate the altar of matrimony, like in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah of Old.

Naturally the fit has hit the shan around Los Angeles, where the fighter trains, and further afield as well. Various GLBT and equality organisations are calling for Nike to drop their sponsorship of Pacquiao, the first ever boxer to win titles in eight different weight classes, and several venues in LA have already banned the fighter from attendance. Nike has recently shown added support to equality groups, such as supporting former UK rugby star Ben Cohen’s anti-bullying Stand Up Foundation.

It’s unclear what the reaction has been in Pacquiao’s native Phillippines, where he is a state congressman.

Pacquiao has responded to the erupting antipathy against his earlier statements, saying he was merely quoting the law of god, and what he said did not represent his own feelings about homosexuals,

I only voiced out my opinion that same-sex marriage is against the law of God. I’m not against homosexuals. I have a relative who is also gay. We cannot do anything if they were born that way. What I do not want is when you disobey the commandment of God.

Likewise, Pacquiao’s spokesperson has attempted to put the boxer’s comments in context, claiming the entire situation had been blown out of proportion.

“[Manny’s] not supportive of gay marriage, but he has nothing against gay people,” he told reporters.

The boxer was talking to the National Conservative Enquirer about same-sex marriage in the wake of U.S. President Barack Obama’s clarification last week that he supported marriage equality for same-sex partners.

Pacquiao is now set to appear on popular LA-based talk show, Extra, hosted by actor Mario Lopez. There were rumours that his appearance had been cancelled following this scandal, but it appears only the venue where the show is shot refused to allow Pacquiao on the premises in the wake of his comments.

[Source: Towleroad, LA Weekly, WordPress]