Tyson Fury seems to deliberately choose to be a bad role model, John Amaechi tells ITV News

Heavyweight boxing champion Tyson Fury needs to recognise his position as a role model - and think before he opens his mouth, retired NBA basketball player John Amaechi told ITV News.

Amaechi, who is openly gay, insisted he was a supporter of free speech - but said that did not mean "consequence-free" speech.

Speaking to ITV News sports editor Steve Scott, Amaechi said Fury had a "responsibility" as a role model.

It comes after the controversial sportsman made a series of comments which provoked outrage, including comparing homosexuality to paedophilia and saying a woman's "best place" was "in the kitchen and on her back".

Amaechi went on to say that even if Fury truly believes what he says - rather than being deliberately provocative to stay in the headlines - he should consider keeping his views to himself.

Meanwhile, Amaechi said he was glad British athlete Greg Rutherford had decided not to pull out of the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year (SPOTY) awards.

It had been reported that the long jumper would withdraw from the event due to the comments made by Fury, who is also on the shortlist, but said he had since reconsidered.

"Good people shouldn't remove themselves from the fray," he said.

"All that does in increase the percentage of bad persons in there. And I don't want that. I want the good athletes, who are mindful of their principles and their convictions and of their responsibility for often younger people who look up to them - I want more of them in there."

The BBC should instead introduce some solid guidelines for the SPOTY contest, to avoid similar debates in future, he added.