The relationship between Nike and Manny Pacquiao is over, after the six-weight world champion made an utterly unacceptable comment about homosexuals.
The 37-year-old boxer described homosexuals as “worse than animals”, and while he later apologised for his comments, the damage was already done.
An online petition had been doing the rounds, calling for the sportswear company to drop Pacquiao as an endorser, and Twitter kicking off hashtags like #NoToManny2016 #zerovoteformanny and #WorseThanAnimals, and now Nike has responded in the best possible way.
“We find Manny Pacquiao’s comments abhorrent,” Nike said in a statement.
“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.”
Pacquiao’s original remark was made while he was being interviewed on the telly, and post-comment, he seemed unaffected by the words that had come out of his mouth, even taking to Instagram to say he was “just telling the truth of what the Bible says”.
“It’s just common sense. Do you see any animals of the same sex mating? Animals are better off, they can distinguish between male and female,” said in his TV5 interview on Monday.
“Now if men are mating with men and women with women, then they are worse than animals,” he said.
But the boxer, who is currently running for a senate seat in his native Phillipines, later wrote on his Facebook that he was apparently “not condemning LGBT” (likely story), however still made clear his opposition for gay marriage.
Thankfully, we have social media to do all our condemning for us:
Cmon @nike @footlocker @Nestle. Is this bigot what you want your brand to stand for? Drop #MannyPacquiao
— Cam Tellez (@Cam_Tellez) February 17, 2016
@Nike What do you think of having a homophobe for an endorser? #mannypacquiao #boo
— Tim Della (@hismajestyTim92) February 15, 2016
Endorsing hatred motivated me to buy your competitors. #MannyPacquiao #LGBT @Nike @footlocker @getcrackin @NestleUSA @Butterfinger — Memeographs (@memeographs) February 16, 2016
I’m so glad #MannyPacquiao got dropped by @Nike. There is expressing opinions and there’s being an arsewipe. Pacquiao falls into the latter. — Brendan Part (@BrendanPart) February 17, 2016
Until this person came along…
https://t.co/RtbIs8Jx2M @TMZ @Nike why can’t we tolerate a christian’s belief?He already said sorry. #MannyPacquiao
— crystal-day (@macafech) February 17, 2016
Hemay have a poor choice of words but he can exercise his freedom of religion.Lets not condemn.he didnt commit murder @Nike #MannyPacquiao
— crystal-day (@macafech) February 17, 2016
@mannypacquiao if God is with who can be against u. God bless u. #MannyPacquiao @Nike @ALDUBNation #ALDUBStronger
— crystal-day (@macafech) February 17, 2016
Pacquiao now becomes the fifth athlete to lose a Nike sponsorship for their stupid actions in the past three-and-a-half years, including the sorry likes of Lance Armstrong, Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, and Oscar Pistorious.
