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Tyson Fury says racism against Travellers is 'still acceptable' in Britain

Tyson Fury at Manchester Airport. (Photo by Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)
Tyson Fury at Manchester Airport. (Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)

Tyson Fury has said he suffers racism in the UK due to being a Traveller and that discrimination has led him to being barred from entering public places.

The heavyweight boxer, nicknamed “The Gypsy King”, relayed his experiences on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday as he commented on the death of George Floyd, an African American who died of asphyxia in police custody, and the subsequent nationwide protests in the US.

He said: “I am a white male but I suffer racism in 2020 as a white person because I’m a Traveller, I come from an ethnic background, gypsy, gypsy king, Traveller."

Read more: Premier League players allowed to protest for George Floyd without punishment

Fury, 31, remarked that some establishments in the UK such as bars and restaurants display signs stating: "No Travellers allowed".

“I think Travellers are the most acceptable form of racism in Britain and in the world at the moment,” he said. “It’s still acceptable to be racist against Travellers. Nothing ever gets done about it.”

Tyson Fury said he has been refused entry to places due to being a Traveller. (ITV)
Tyson Fury said he has been refused entry to places due to being a Traveller. (ITV)

The boxer also claimed to have been refused entry to restaurant bar in 2016 alongside his wife Paris after they were told "no gypsies allowed".

"It was in England. So I know what it feels like to be racist towards… anyone can be a racist person no matter what their background," he opined.

Romany Gypsies and Irish Travellers are ethnic groups under the Equality Act, and are therefore protected against racial discrimination.

Last year, Fury claimed that some of his controversial outbursts stemmed from abuse aimed at the travelling community.

Paris and Tyson Fury attending the Nordoff Robbins Boxing Dinner held at the Hilton Hotel, London. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)
Paris and Tyson Fury attend the Nordoff Robbins Boxing Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, London. (Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)

One comment saw Fury state "a woman's best place is in the kitchen", while he also said the legalisation of paedophilia in addition to the decriminalisation of homosexuality and abortion could see "the devil come home".

Read more: Irish Traveller wins discrimination case in Bristol

Writing in his autobiography Behind The Mask he said: "I went into the paid ranks off the back of an amateur career during which I was aware of racism against travellers.

“This made me an outsider and so I felt that for me to get the attention I needed to be an attraction in the sport, I had to play the outlaw."

The book also saw Fury open up on his mental health struggles.