A former Olympic boxer said he was just driving home when he was pulled over and arrested by Montreal police simply because of the way he looked.

Custio Clayton - who is black - was driving home to Montreal Tuesday night after a training session in Cornwall when he was followed by a police officer who pulled him over.

The encounter did not get off to a good start, with Clayton asking why he was being stopped, and the officer saying he was not cooperating.

"I said I'm not refusing, I'm just asking if you can tell me why you're pulling me over," said Clayton.

Clayton was driving a brand new large white Yukon SUV that he had rented, but when he handed the papers to police he realized the rental agency had inadvertently given him the wrong registration forms.

At that point the police officer -- who had called for backup -- asked him to get out of the car.

"She said I'm placing you under arrest. I believe that you're a drug dealer, that you have drugs in the car, and we're going to search your car," said Clayton.

The police officers handcuffed him and held him for nearly an hour but their search of his car turned up little more than his children's car seats.

The 29-year-old is a Halifax native who moved to Montreal two and a half years ago.

He boxed for Canada in the 2012 Olympics, falling just short of a medal.

Clayton said the officer humiliated him when she handcuffed him and tried to explain her actions.

"She said I've been a police officer for 20 years, and when I went with my gut and believed there were drugs in the car, I'm always right," said Clayton.

"She was talking as if she found drugs and that's when I started to get nervous."

Then the officer clarified that she was wrong.

"She said, ‘No, no, I don't mean that, 20 years I've been a police officer and I'm actually wrong this time. You don't have drugs in the car, I'm wrong,’" said Clayton.

The encounter ended with Clayton getting a ticket for $63 for not having the correct car rental papers.

He said he is very disappointed with Montreal police over what he considers an obvious case of racial profiling.

Montreal police deny there was any racial profiling, though admit the situation could have been handled better.



Cmdr. Martin Dea of Station 48 said police were actually looking for a similar SUV that was involved in some recent armed robberies. They also allege that they smelled marijuana in Clayton's car.

Clayton's coach Dougie Bernèche said it's impossible he was smoking marijuana, because the boxer must undergo regular drug testing as part of his training and competition.Dea admitted his officers could have been better communicators

“Normally you’re supposed to explain the motive. You’re supposed to explain correctly why you intercepted that vehicle,” he said.

