Wed 3 Aug 2016 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A high-profile rugby player has apologised for an anti-gay slur overheard by agay man at a hot pools complex in the Waikato. Michael Allardice Chiefs lock Michael Allardice was heard to shout "Here come the gays, here come the gays" to a gay man and two companions at the pools where the team members gathered "It was an awful thing to hear," said gay man Brendan Barraclough. "I was going to ignore it, I can handle it but what if it was a young guy who couldn't, and went home and topped himself?" Allardice owned up to making the slur yesterday and has issued an apology, saying " I am deeply embarrassed and ashamed of the hurt I've caused Brendan and the wider lgbt community and anyone else I have offended by my comments. I casually used very poor language and have learned a lesson today." "I have chosen to come forward because I believe in being accountable and taking responsibility for your actions. And also because I hope this can be a learning experience for others that homophobic language, even in jest, has wide-reaching and hurtful effects." Barraclough says he is satisfied with the apology. Then incident comes just months after a number of major sports code launched with great fanfare an initiative to counteract homophobia in sports.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 3rd August 2016 - 8:37am