Gay ex-NBA player: Homophobia rife in UK sports

Britain's first NBA basketball star John Amaechi poses after receiving his Officer of the British Empire Medal (OBE) from the Prince of Wales at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on October 26, 2011 in London, England. / Photo by Lewis Whyld - WPA Pool/Getty Images

LONDON - The first openly gay former NBA player says prejudice against homosexuals is rife in British sport, especially football.

Retired British player John Amaechi on Wednesday described anti-gay sentiment in sporting bodies and on the field as a "massive problem" that was often ignored or "relegated".

The former player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz says "in sport there are institutions that haven't changed in 100 years and need to."

Singling out football, Amaechi says "if you compare their emphasis on racism to what they've done on homophobia it's an embarrassment."

Amaechi spoke after receiving the Order of the British Empire for services to sport and the voluntary sector from the Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace.

Amaechi retired from the NBA in 2004 and acknowledged in 2007 that he was gay.

[Manslick]

Why do they always need to call it homophobia??? That is completely misleading and attempts to hide the truth that it an aversion; a repulsion which is completely normal.

[scottpatrick1234]

Gay/bi men make up less than 2% of the U.S. population (CDC Fact Sheet on HIV/AIDS in the Gay/Bi Male Population). 98%+ of all men are heterosexuals and don't like to be around men who find them sexually attractive. When will gay/bi men accept this? Gay/bi men are some of the oddest human beings on the planet, with their truly abnormal speech and behaviors.

[pbaird2]

Too bad your statistics are incorrect. Homosexuals represent between 10-20% of the population with bi-sexuality bringing the percentages from 30-50%. Homosexual activity is evident in all species of mammals which would indicate the proclivity is natural. Human beings have determined what is considered acceptable behavior and is recorded throughout history in the various guises. Cultural bias, not nature, is all that prevents us from accepting the facts. Homosexuality does not cause speech differences, although the only ones you may recognize are those who do speak with some femininity; there are many "gentlemen" heterosexuals who also speak with a feminine inflection. This is why Gays in sports need to come out so that ignorance can be eradicated and people like you can stop stereotyping every individual.

[mountainstates1]

Guys in sports that protest the loudest usually have the most to hide.

[Transatlantique]

Sports in general run on subverted homosexual desires. What they really want to do is get a room and have it off with the team. The same goes for the military. Why else are these themes predominantly used in gay porn?

[jackp32]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! I won't believe this guy until he swears on a stack of bibles that his story is true and he cites names, places, and events.