Controversial lawn bowler Gary Lawson has been suspended out of contention for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games for homophobia.
Lawson, 56, a 14-time NZ champion, has had an appeal dismissed by Bowls New Zealand, after he was accused of calling another bowler a "f***ing f****t" during a competition at Christchurch in May 2021.
After months of unsuccessful mediation between the parties, Bowls Canterbury has imposed a 16-week ban, which will cover the Commonwealth Games period of July 28-August 8.
The suspension has been backdated to May 26 and Lawson can have it reduced to 10 weeks, if he undergoes diversity and inclusion training, which would still bring the ban to conclusion during the Games.
The former pairs and fours world champion has represented New Zealand at two previous Commonwealth Games - Victoria 1994 and Melbourne 2006 - but spent almost a decade out of the national team, after implication in a 2010 match-fixing incident.
Last December, he was suspended for a month for using profane and indecent language towards a rival.
