The Canadian Football League’s Edmonton Eskimos cut a player on Sunday, a day after he posted an anti-gay tweet.
Receiver and return man Christion Jones was released for tweeting, “Man ain’t supposed to be with a man. A women is not suppose to be with another women.”
The Eskimos released a statement distancing themselves from Jones’ words.
“We stand by the LGBTQ2+ community and firmly condemn the language used by Christion Jones. There is no place for such commentary on our team. Jones has been released from the roster,” the team’s statement said.
The CFL also released a statement on the matter.
“We in the CFL hold high the Diversity Is Strength banner,” the CFL’s statement said. “Our league makes no claim on perfection but it does strive to be inclusive, to accept and indeed celebrate our differences, and to respect and honor human rights. There is no place in our league for commentary that disparages people on the basis of their religion, race, gender or sexual orientation. As Pride Month continues, we stand with the LGBTQ+ community. We all need to say no to hate and yes to love.”
Jones, who played his college football at Alabama, initially defended his tweet. But after he was released he issued an apology.