Okay, so you’ve heard of players getting yellow cards for bad tackles, but what about a ban for covering up a rainbow? That’s exactly what happened to Nemanja Matic and Ahmed Hassan, two Ligue 1 veterans, after they decided to tape over the league’s anti-homophobia badge on their jerseys.
It all went down on the last day of the season. Matic, a seasoned midfielder for Lyon, came on as a sub and promptly covered up the badge, which was a rainbow with the words “Tous Unis Contre L’Homophobie” (“All United Against Homophobia”) written underneath. Meanwhile, Hassan, a striker for Le Havre, did the same thing during his team’s win against Strasbourg.
The French league wasn’t having it. They hit both players with a two-game ban, plus two more games suspended, for their actions.
But wait, there’s more. The league also suggested Matic take part in an anti-homophobia awareness campaign within the next six months. Let’s just say this wasn’t a case of “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” but more like “if you can’t beat ’em, learn from ’em.”
This isn’t the first time the anti-homophobia campaign has sparked controversy in French football. Over the years, there have been players who opted out for personal or religious reasons, which makes this situation even more interesting.
With Matic and Hassan’s suspensions, the league is making it clear that they’re serious about promoting inclusivity. It’s a powerful statement that has definitely got people talking.
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