A number of Toulouse gamers have been disregarded of the squad for his or her Ligue 1 encounter towards Nantes on Sunday.
It’s believed that the gamers refused to have their names related to a league-wide gesture towards homophobia.
Rainbow colours to assist marketing campaign
All of the fixtures this weekend have been devoted to the Ligue 1’s marketing campaign to fight homophobia with numbers on the again of gamers’ shirts marked in rainbow colours.
This was a gesture of assist for the Worldwide Day towards Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia on Wednesday.
The Daily Mail has reported that 5 Toulouse gamers specifically Zakaria Aboukhlal, Moussa Diarra, Fares Chaibi, Logan Costa, and Mentioned Hamulic expressed their disapproval towards the marketing campaign to supervisor Phillpe Montanier and didn’t wish to participate within the sport.
Gamers refuse to put on shirts
The report additionally states that Aboukhlal and Hamulic outright refused to put on the shirts.
A press release from the membership learn, “Some gamers from the skilled squad have expressed their disagreement with the affiliation of their picture with the rainbow colours representing the LGBT motion. Whereas respecting the person selections of its gamers, and after quite a few exchanges, Toulouse Soccer Membership has chosen to go away the stated gamers out of the match.”
The match ended 0-0 as either side shared the spoils.
Aboukhlal took to his Twitter account making his intentions clear, “I’ve made the choice not to participate in immediately’s sport. Respect is a price that I maintain in nice esteem. It extends to others, however it additionally encompasses respect for my very own private beliefs. Therefore, I don’t consider I’m probably the most appropriate individual to take part on this marketing campaign.”
This isn’t the primary time {that a} participant has refused to participate in a league sport. Final yr Idrissa Gueye refused to characteristic in an encounter whereas at PSG with the intention to keep away from sporting the anti-homophobic shirt.
Stade Brest supervisor Eric Roy additionally disapproved of the marketing campaign saying with some gamers not participating might play a decisive position in any of the membership’s fortunes as we enter the enterprise finish of the season.
He stated, “The programming of at the present time towards homophobia is catastrophic.”
” You possibly can see that there are gamers who’ve an issue with it. Everyone seems to be free to precise their opinions. Personally, I’ve no drawback with it. However there are gamers who could have an issue with it. Then you shouldn’t schedule this marketing campaign at the moment when you understand some gamers are combating to keep away from relegation. You may do it in December, September.”
Photograph credit score: IMAGO / PanoramiC
