Banned Players On Gay SF Softball Team Settle With Organization

SEATTLE (AP) — A gay softball organization has agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to three players who were disqualified from its 2008 Gay Softball World Series in the Seattle area because of their perceived heterosexuality.

And as part of the settlement announced Monday, their team will get its second-place trophy back.

Stephen Apilado, Laron Charles and John Russ, sued the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance, claiming they had been discriminated against.

Rumors had persisted that their San Francisco-based team was stacked with straight ringers, so others filed a protest. The men had to answer personal questions in a room full of strangers and were told their claims of bisexuality weren't good enough.

The organization says bisexual players are welcome and it regrets the impact the protest hearing had on the men.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.