“France Football Players Refuse to Wear Rainbow Jersey, Sparks Controversy and Fines”

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.

The refusal of some football professionals in France to take part in a tolerance campaign in the first and second divisions has caused an uproar. “It’s miserable,” said French government spokesman Olivier Véran on Monday on France 2. “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”.

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.

FC Nantes fines players

“We are not asking to ride a float at Pride. We only ask that you show solidarity against homophobia,” the sports newspaper “L’Équipe” quoted Yoann Lemaire, president of the Foot Ensemble organization, which campaigns against discrimination in football. On the France Info station, Lemaire called for more commitment from the clubs on the subject.

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. However, the sum should be donated to the SOS Homophobie association. We regret the incident, but also condemn threats against the player and his family.