Nike drops Manny Pacquiao in wake of anti-gay statements

February 17, 2016 at 3:52 p.m.

by The Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2015, file photo, Manny Pacquiao takes questions at the Asia Society in New York. Boxing star Pacquiao has created a firestorm in his home country after saying people in same-sex relationships are worse than animals. Pacquiao, who is running for a Philippine Senate seat, made the remark in a video posted Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, on local TV5s election site. He also said animals are better than people in same-sex relationships because they recognize the difference between males and females. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 12, 2015, file photo, Manny Pacquiao takes questions at the Asia Society in New York. Boxing star Pacquiao has created a firestorm in his home country after saying people in same-sex relationships are worse than animals. Pacquiao, who is running for a Philippine Senate seat, made the remark in a video posted Monday, Feb. 15, 2016, on local TV5s election site. He also said animals are better than people in same-sex relationships because they recognize the difference between males and females. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Manny Pacquiao's comments disparaging gays have cost him his contract with apparel giant Nike.

The company issued a release Wednesday saying it has dropped the Filipino boxer after he was quoted as saying gay people "are worse than animals."

Nike called Pacquiao's comments "abhorrent" and said the company strongly opposes discrimination of any kind and has long stood up for the fights of gays.

Pacquiao, who meets Timothy Bradley on April 9 in what could be his last fight, apologized Tuesday for the remarks made a day earlier. In them, Pacquiao said it was just common sense that animals are not gay.

Pacquiao is running for the Senate in the Philippines.

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