An equality charity worker’s petition to remove heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury from the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year competition has topped 120,000 signatures.

The Change.org petition was started by Scott Cuthbertson, development manager for the Equality Network, which describes itself as Scotland's national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex equality and human rights charity. The charity has backed his campaign.

Fury, who recently defeated Wladimir Klitschko to win several heavyweight belts, has compared homosexuality to paedophilia and said that he believes “A woman’s best place is in the kitchen and on her back.”

Cuthbertson started his petition a week ago, and it passed 100,000 signatures yesterday.

“Homophobia has long been a barrier to the participation of LGBTI people in Sport,” Cuthbertson wrote on the petition website. “Young people need sports personalities that they can look up to not people who express outrageous homophobic views, which can cause bullying and self-harm.

“As someone who works in the LGBTI human rights sector I've seen first hand the barriers to sport for LGBTI people. The sports sector is working hard to be more inclusive and to welcome LGBTI people, Fury's comments set that cause back.

“The BBC have put out a statement in response to our petition saying ‘The nominees for BBC Sports Personality of the Year are decided on their sporting achievements. As Fury became heavyweight champion of the world over the weekend, the panel feel that he should be a contender for this year’s award.’

“The BBC clearly do not understand that by nominating Fury, they are putting him up as a role model to young people all over the UK and the world.”