Former St Louis Rams player Michael Sam has revealed that his father refused to accept his sexuality when he revealed that he is gay.
The 25-year-old became the first openly-gay American football player to be drafted into the NFL last year, but he was cut by the Rams before the regular season in 2014.
On what would turn out to be his final appearance on ABC's Dancing With The Stars, Smith performed a routine that centred on his troubled relationship with his father.
Before performing the dance, which was choreographed to 'I'm Not My Father's Son', Sam said: "When I first came out it was all over the press. What people don't know is that it cost me my relationship with my father.
"I told my dad I was gay and he pretty much told the New York Times that he was ashamed of me being gay. He said he didn't want his grandkids to be raised in that type of environment.
"When I read that I was hurt. I called him and I said 'you've lost another son again by what you said' and I haven't talked to him since."
Sam and his dance partner Peta Murgatroyd were voted off the show at the weekend.
