Homophobia: Footballers refuse to wear the colors of the rainbow flag

This weekend was the annual campaign ” Gay or straight, we all wear the same shirt » of the Professional Football League (LFP), during which players from Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 wear the colors of the rainbow flag on their jerseys and captain’s armband.

These are then auctioned off, e the funds go to the Foot Ensemble, PanamBoyz & Girlz United associations and SOS Homophobia. Several players from Guingamp, Nantes and Toulouse have it he declined to attend matches, citing personal beliefs disagree with the transmitted message. On Sunday 14 May, on the microphone of the Stade 2 program, the Minister of Sport, Amélia Ouéda-Castera, called on the clubs to take “sanctions” against the sportsmen concerned.

“A simple message of non-discrimination”

The Minister deplores the choice of these players, revealing the homophobia that afflicts the football community: ” I deeply regret that we don’t have 100% of players who can stand behind this simple message of non-discrimination. It is essential that everyone unites on such a fundamental message of coexistence. It is the responsibility of the clubs to take sanctions, I think it is necessary “. Several players from FC Nantes and Toulouse Football Club, who were to meet on Saturday, explained the reasons for their withdrawal on Twitter:

In a press release, the group fighting homophobia in amateur and professional sport Rouge Direct asked “a real policy to fight homophobia in football, like in England or Germany among others”and report the“inertia of the football authorities”.

There is no doubt about the association: ” French football is definitely a big sick body, homophobia is a major source of infection. The time has come to move on to ambitious words and concrete actions, on a large scale”.

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