How is it that a gay athlete cannot gain entry in to a gay bar?
Apparently it’s because he appeared to be ‘big, black and could be trouble.’
John Amaechi, the first openly gay NBA player tried to enter Crunch a popular bar in Manchester’s gay village, but claims he was denied at the door because of his race.
He’s now considering legal action.
“I want an explanation of what happened – a real true explanation – and an apology, and they have not in any way been forthcoming with that,” he told BBC News. “…I’m going to pursue this through all the channels I have because when there are issues of bigotry we should pursue them very strongly.”
But according to the bar’s manager, Matt Taylor, Amaechi was denied entry because the radio call he received claimed he was being “argumentative and aggressive” with the workers at the door – allegations Amaechi denies.
In 1997, John Amaechi, then NBA player came out and released a book called ‘Man in the Middle’ in which he expressed his life as an athlete while being ‘in the closet’. He became the first openly gay NBA player. He’s now a motivational speaker and is also the founder the Amaechi Basketball Centre at the city’s Whalley Range High School for Girls.