A Minnesota Vikings player who “doesn’t believe in” same-sex marriage has been indicted on charges of child abuse, after allegedly whipping his four-year-old son.
Adrian Peterson, who was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2012, previously stressed his opposition to homosexuality.
He told SiriusXM of same-sex marriage last year: “I have relatives who are gay. I’m not biased towards them. I still treat them the same. I love ‘em.
“But again, I’m not with that. That’s not something I believe in.”
The 29-year-old, who was “commended for courageously sharing his views” by the anti-gay National Organisation for Marriage, has been charged as part of a child abuse investigation in Texas.
According to reports the player allegedly used a small tree branch to whip his son’s legs.
A medical report found that the boy had “a number of lacerations on his thighs, along with bruise-like marks on his lower back and buttocks and cuts on his hand.”
Peterson has since been indicted and released on a $15,000 bond.
His lawyer Rusty Hardin has claimed he only practised stern parenting, saying: “Adrian is a loving father who used his judgement as a parent to discipline his son.”
A statement from the Minnesota Vikings added: “The Vikings are in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. At this time, we will defer further questions to Adrian’s attorney.”
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