Amir Khan says his removal from an American Airlines flight earlier this month was racially motivated.- The boxer says he was "picked on" because he is Asian and it was just after the anniversary of 9/11.
- "Maybe the air stewardess and the staff didn't feel comfortable me being there sat at the front," he said.
Former world champion boxer Amir Khan has claimed his removal from an American Airlines flight earlier this month was racially motivated.
Khan, 34, and his colleague were en route to a training camp in Colorado on September 18 when they were removed from a flight departing Newark Liberty international airport in New Jersey.
A spokesperson for American Airlines said the pair were removed from the plane because they "refused to comply with repeated crew member requests to stow luggage, place cell phones in airplane mode, and adhere to federal face-covering requirements."
But Khan, who is of Pakistani descent, has instead said he and his colleague were "picked on" by staff because they were "two Asian boys" and the incident occurred just a week after the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
"I just feel like I was treated really badly, it was a week after 9/11 and I do feel like things were a little bit tense but to be picked on, two Asian boys who are sat at the front, being pulled out of in front a full plane, it's quite embarrassing really," he told Sky News.
He added: "Maybe the air stewardess and the staff didn't feel comfortable me being there sat at the front."
Asked if he thought his removal was racially motivated, he replied: "Definitely, and I stand by that."
The former world champion said he was sat in two front row seats with his colleague on the plane, and was on a phone call when he first sat down.
He said he was asked to end the call, which he said he did, while his colleague was asked to pull his mask above his nose which he said slipped when he was taking a sip of water.
-Amir Khan (@amirkingkhan) September 25, 2021
The plane started to taxi when it suddenly stopped and was boarded by three police officers who asked Khan and his colleague to leave.
"We felt like criminals," he said. "We felt like we had done something wrong, the way we were dragged out the plane," he said.
Khan said the police officers who removed him from the flight later recognized him and requested photos with him.
American Airlines said it has since "reached out to Mr Khan to learn more about his experience."