US: Basketball boss tackles homophobia in sports at California Assembly

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An openly gay NBA boss has spoken at a debate about tackling homophobic discrimination in sport.

On Monday the openly gay President of NBA team the Golden State Warriors Rick Welts, spoke at an informal meeting of the California Assembly Committee on Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media, on the issue of homophobia in American sport.

CBS SF reports the Assembly meeting addressed the issues surrounding the elimination of LGBT discrimination and bias against professional and amateur athletes.

Welts is a member of the Advisory Board for the You Can Play campaign, launched in 2012, which is dedicated to the eradication of homophobia and discrimination in sports.

In May 2011, Welts was the first high-level US sports executive to come out as gay.

Welts was honoured on Monday by the California state Legislature as part of the LGBT Pride Month celebrations.