Telstar coach Mike Snoei is “sick to death” that four of his players refuse to wear the rainbow shirt in the match against TOP Oss tomorrow. However, he says he respects their choice. “Because that is also tolerance.”
The club announced yesterday morning that it would play in a specially designed shirt under the name Telstar All Togehter. The white football shirt, with the well-known Telstar logo, is decorated with rainbow colors.
“Football is for everyone regardless of cultural background, skin color, race, sexual preference or religion,” the club wrote on their website. “Everyone should feel welcome in football. Telstar is committed to connecting and inclusion and is against social exclusion.”
The same day it was announced that Zakaria Eddahchouri, Leonardo Rocha de Almeida, Mohammed Tahiri and Alae-Eddine Bouyaghlafen do not want to play in the shirt.
‘Extremely unfortunate’
“The shirt conveys a very broad message,” says Snoei. “It is a shame that not everyone wants to go along with this. The absence of Zakaria Eddahchouri is especially a loss for the trainer. “I am proud of what he shows, and it is also a great pity that he was not there against TOP Oss. is.”
The trainer explains the considerations of the club’s top scorer. “He tries to explain that he respects everyone, but that there are also things he doesn’t want to promote.” The club wants that again. They think the rainbow initiative is ‘great’.
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‘Still a very nice group’
Snoei believes that encouraging the four players to simply play the match in the rainbow shirt is going too far. “If I am going to condemn that, then I am making a choice that is not in line with the message, because that is above all tolerance. And I think that is respecting this action by these boys.” Still, the Telstar trainer says he finds it annoying. “I’m also sick of it. I really think it’s a shame that I can’t play against Oss with these four men.”
The trainer has accepted it and, in his own words, has quickly given it a place. “We will continue with that very nice group that we still have. Hopefully that will give extra energy.”