Jamie Kuntz insists the reason he was
booted from the North Dakota State College of Science's football team
is his sexual orientation.
The 18-year-old Kuntz was caught
kissing his 65-year-old boyfriend during a Memorial Day weekend road
game. At first, Kuntz lied to his coach about the relationship.
Officials claim they dismissed Kuntz for lying and for creating a
distraction among the players.
In his first on-camera interview since
his story made headlines, Kuntz disagreed, insisting he was dismissed
because he's gay.
After being let go from the Wildcats,
Kuntz withdrew from the school.
“Had this been a heterosexual
incident would we come to the same conclusion?” Stu Engen, athletic
director for the school, told SB
Nation. “And we concluded yes. … Our focus was on the effect
it had on the team.”
The former Wildcats linebacker said
that he's been criticized for remaining in the closet, saying that
some players have claimed they would have backed him if he had just
been honest with them.
“I don't know if I can believe them
on that, because the gay jokes,” Kuntz said. “All day, everyday
since the first day I got here. You can call people like fagots and
like queers like, but when there's a gay person around that's not out
does he imagine the situation they're put in.”
“I want to play division 1 football.
I know in my mind I am good enough to be a division 1 athlete. There
has to be one school that is willing to take a shot,” Kuntz added.
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