The refusal of several players to wear a rainbow jersey causes a stir in France. There is also criticism from politicians. One club responded with a fine, among other things.
“It’s miserable,” commented French government spokesman Olivier Véran on her behavior on the “France 2” channel: “We have to defend values that unite us, and sport is there to do that.” Homophobia is not an opinion, it is a crime.
To mark the anti-homophobia day, France’s Ligue 1 and 2 players wore jerseys displaying their numbers in rainbow colors over the weekend. The banner was also placed on the lawn before the game: “Homo or straight: we all wear the same jersey”.
annoyance after coach statements
But not all players took part in the campaign. There was particular dissatisfaction with the Toulouse-Nantes game, in which four players did not want to wear the rainbow jersey. The statements of a trainer, which were seen as relativizing, caused further irritation. In previous years there had also been anger about players who had refused the campaign.
“We’re not asking you to ride a wagon at the Pride. We’re just asking you to show solidarity against homophobia,” quoted the sports newspaper “L’Équipe” Yoann Lemaire, president of the “Foot Ensemble” organization, which campaigns against discrimination used in football. On the “France Info” station, Lemaire called for more commitment from the clubs on the subject.
Players will be sanctioned
FC Nantes, who are fighting for relegation, announced on Monday that they would financially sanction the player who refused to go out on the pitch in the Toulouse jersey against Toulouse. The club did not announce the amount of the penalty. The sum should be donated to the “SOS Homophobie” association. We regret the incident, but also condemn threats against the player and his family.