Conor McGregor Apologizes For Saying 'Faggot' After UFC Fight, But Is It Enough?

Conor McGregor appeared last night on Ireland's The Late Late Show in an attempt to do some damage control after he was heard using an anti-gay slur at a UFC fight.

Two weeks ago, while McGregor was escorting his teammate, Artem Lobov, to the dressing room after losing a fight with Andre Fili, McGregor was overheard calling Fili a "faggot" twice. "I thought you were going to sleep him," he said. "All I'm saying, he's a faggot. I never knew he was a faggot."

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Last night, McGregor apologized, but whether it was sincere or just a ploy to save public face is debatable. "I meant no disrespect," he said on the talk show. "I campaigned when we were trying to get same-sex marriage legalized. Things just get blown up. Any chance they get, they love to throw me under the bus. It is what it is. I'd like to say sorry for what I said and move on from it."

While the apology is appreciated, McGregor's attempt at shirking blame is misplaced, whether he campaigned for same-sex marriage or not. One can't claim to be pro-gay when they consistently succumb to the toxic masculinity and homophobia that pervades professional sports. Notice, in McGregor's eagerness to move on, he never said he'd stop saying the word, or suggested that he'd tell his teammates to stop. Until McGregor uses his clout to make a real statement against homophobia in the UFC and on the professional sports level in general, it's empty words.

Watch McGregor's appearance, below.