Cancelled Dwarfanators wrestling show ‘to sue venues’

Organisers of a dwarf wrestling show have said their firm is taking legal action against venues that cancelled their events.

The Extreme Dwarfanators Wrestling show is touring the UK but three venues have pulled out in the wake of criticism.

The Restricted Growth Association (RGA) compared the event to a “freak show”.

Center Stage Entertainment is taking action against the RGA for “making false claims” and the venues for “discrimination”.

Morningside Arena in Leicester, The Ferndown Leisure Centre in Dorset, and the Corn Exchange in Devizes have all pulled out of hosting the event.

However, planned shows are still due to go ahead in Cardiff, Torquay, Swansea and Liverpool in October.

Center Stage Entertainment, the wrestling event’s organiser, said it had written letters of complaint to the three venues and the RGA, giving them the opportunity to respond and come to an agreement out of court.

A spokesman said one wrestler was deeply upset the show had been cancelled, and added he believed the UK had moved away from the “Victorian pitch-fork mentality” of telling people such as him they were not welcome.

He added: “The wrestlers doing the tour feel this is discrimination and that any person has the right to choose their own career path and should not be told what they can and cannot do.”

Devizes Corn Exchange said it had not received a letter but had received an email asking the staff to reconsider.

It added it strived to be “equally accessible to all members of the community irrespective of race, colour or ability” but said it was “difficult to see how it would not suggest a level of credibility to the behaviour which is shown towards members of the dwarf community”, such as abuse and personal attacks.

Morningside Arena said it had not received a letter of complaint as of yet and would make no further comment now.

The RGA said it also wanted to make no further comment, while the BBC has not had a response from Ferndown Leisure Centre.

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