/** * https://gist.github.com/samthor/64b114e4a4f539915a95b91ffd340acc */ (function() { var check = document.createElement('script'); if (!('noModule' in check) && 'onbeforeload' in check) { var = false; document.addEventListener('beforeload', function(e) { if (e.target === check) { = true; } else if (!e.target.hasAttribute('nomodule') || !) { return; } e.preventDefault(); }, true); check.type = 'module'; check.src = '.'; document.head.appendChild(check); check.remove(); } }());

Controversy hits French anti-homophobia campaign

Lyon's Serbian midfielder Nemanja Matic on the pitch during the French Ligue 1 football match against AngersGetty Images

The campaign logo on the shirt of Lyon's Serb midfielder Nemanja Matic was covered up

Michael Short
BBC Sport senior journalist

Players are facing sanctions after a campaign against homophobia in French football's top flight was again mired in controversy.

Ligue 1's anti-homophobia symbol was covered up on the shirts of Olympique Lyonnais midfielder Nemanja Matic and Le Havre's Ahmed Hassan, while Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed withdrew from his side's crunch relegation-decider against Montpellier.

It has also been alleged Lens defender Jonathan Gradit was heard using a homophobic insult in the tunnel at half-time during their game against Monaco.

Sports minister Marie Barsacq issued a statement on Sunday calling for punishments.

The Ligue 1 campaign, which aims to promote inclusion and raise awareness, is now in its fifth year. Typically players are asked to wear rainbow-coloured symbols while banners are also displayed in stadiums.

Last season, the then-Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was banned for four matches for taping over an anti-homophobia logo on his shirt.

An anti-homophobia banner is displayed prior to the French Ligue 1 football match between FC Nantes and Montpellier Herault SC at the Stade de la BeaujoireLouis Fonteneau in NantesGetty Images

Anti-homophobia banners were displayed at games in the French top flight this weekend

On Saturday, former Serbia midfielder Matic's shirt and that of Egyptian Hassan had tape covering the campaign logo.

Fellow Egypt international Mohamed, meanwhile, did not play in his side's win which saw them stay in the division.

"I believe in mutual respect - the respect we owe others, but also the respect we owe to ourselves and our beliefs. For me, there are deep-rooted values linked to my background and my beliefs that make my participation in this initiative difficult," Nantes' Mohamed said on Instagram before the match.

Reports in suggest the player will be fined by the club with the money donated to a charity fighting LGBTQ+ discrimination.

"Football has a massive platform, and the [French Football] Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs' and ers' agenda," sports minister Barsacq said.

"Homophobic insults and behaviour are no longer acceptable. Society has evolved, and the language in football must change with it. There's a full range of sanctions available, and they must be applied."

Nice full-back and international Jonathan Clauss last week spoke about his for the campaign but pointed out: "There will never be 100% of people who agree and the very fact that there's a debate is a problem."

Some Toulouse players missed a match in 2023 with the club saying they had "expressed their disagreement with the association of their image with the rainbow colours representing the LGBT movement".

Then-Paris St-Germain midfielder Idrissa Gueye - now at Everton - similarly missed games in 2021 and 2022.

Related topics

More on this story