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Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Man Utd star Nemanja Matic handed ban after covering anti-homophobia sign
Nemanja Matic covered up an anti-homophobia logo during Lyon's final game of the season, with Ligue 1 chiefs coming down hard on the former Manchester United star Former Manchester United star Nemanja Matic has been handed a four-match ban for covering up an anti-homophobia logo on his Lyon shirt. The midfielder joined the French side 18 months ago from Ligue 1 rivals Rennes. Matic has been a key player for Lyon, even captaining them on occasions. He was brought on as a late substitute in their final day triumph over Angers, which helped them secure qualification for the Europa League. The final day was Ligue 1's dedicated period to show support for the LGBT+ community. The games coincided with International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on 17 May. Clubs put a rainbow patch on their shirt sleeves, as well as a symbol which had the word 'homophobia' in French crossed out with a red line and 'football' underneath. Matic appeared on the pitch with a piece of white material covering the rainbow logo. The 36-year-old was blasted for the move by France's sports minister Marie Barsacq, who said: ' Football has a massive platform, and the (French Football) Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs' and supporters' agenda. 'Homophobic insults and behaviour are no longer acceptable. Society has evolved, and the language in football must change with it. There's a full range of sanctions available, and they must be applied.' He was subsequently charged by the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP), which governs French football. Their disciplinary committee have now confirmed the punishment, with Matic handing a two-match ban, with a further two matches suspended. He has also agreed to participate in an awareness-raising campaign on the fight against homophobia within six months. An LFP statement read: 'After hearing the player, the Commission sanctioned him with a two-match suspension and a two-match suspended sentence. 'Furthermore, the Commission offered the player—who immediately agreed during the hearing—to participate, within six months, in an awareness-raising campaign on the fight against homophobia in football, in collaboration with an expert association working alongside the LFP throughout the season with clubs and supporters.' Le Havre's Ahmed Hassan has been handed the same punishment after also covering up the rainbow logo on his shirt. Homophobia remains a huge problem in football, with Josh Cavallo, the first-ever top-flight star to come out, urging players to stand with LGBT+ people. 'The thing I would say to them is this could be your brother, it could be your mum or dad or sister who is experiencing this or going through this. To see them taking it away is bascially saying they're not included or accepted,' he told Mirror Football in an exclusive interview last year. 'So it is quite hurtful. They don't realise how impactful that could be to the LGBT+ community. It breaks my heart every time I see something like that. It's not on. If you're a football player, you have certain responsibilities. 'There's certain things you can or can't say on the pitch because you'll get sent off. There's things you can and can't do in the public right as a professional athlete. So doing that for me, is disgusting. 'It's just saying you don't like associating yourself with a certain group or people, which for me is my life. So, I find it quite disgusting. Everyone wants to be your friend, everyone wants to be an ally, but when it comes to the times we to speak up together, or need support, that's when we count on our allies.'
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Former Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic slapped with ban for taping over anti-homophobia sign
The former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder hid the slogan in Lyon's 2-0 win over Angers on May 17, which had been embroidered on his sleeve as part of a campaign by Ligue 1. The campaign, now in its fifth year, usually sees players wear rainbow-coloured symbols on their kit, with banners also displayed in stadiums to raise awareness to the issues surrounding homophobia. However, Matic drew the ire of the league after using white tape to conceal the message and has now been dealt with a two- match ban, as well as a further two matches suspended. This is despite the fact, as things stand, Matic will no longer be a Lyon player come the end, with his contract set to expire and no agreement over an extension being in place. Matic was not the only player to be hit with punishment for taping over the anti-homophobia message, with Le Havre striker Ahmed Hassan doing the same. He has also been handed the same suspension. This acts as the latest form of resistance the LGBTQ+ awareness campaign has received over the years, with numerous players having taken issue with the display on religious grounds. Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed refused to take part in the final match of the season due to his beliefs as a Muslim but escaped any ban. Speaking on why he opted to avoid the initiative, Mohamed wrote on Instagram: 'Living together also means recognising that this diversity can be expressed differently from one person to another,' he wrote on social media. 'I believe in mutual respect – the respect we owe others, but also the respect we owe ourselves and our beliefs. As for me, there are deep-rooted values tied to my heritage and my faith, which make participating in this initiative difficult.' Former Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was last year dealt a four-year ban for doing the same as Matic and Hassan in taping over the anti-homophobia logo. It acts as the second time Matic has hit the headlines in recent months after he got into a spat with Man United stopper Andre Onana for branding him 'one of the worst goalkeepers' in the club's history.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Former Manchester United defender Nemanja Matic slapped with ban for taping over anti-homophobia sign
The former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder hid the slogan in Lyon's 2-0 win over Angers on May 17, which had been embroidered on his sleeve as part of a campaign by Ligue 1. The campaign, now in its fifth year, usually sees players wear rainbow-coloured symbols on their kit, with banners also displayed in stadiums to raise awareness to the issues surrounding homophobia. However, Matic drew the ire of the league after using white tape to conceal the message and has now been dealt with a two- match ban, as well as a further two matches suspended. This is despite the fact, as things stand, Matic will no longer be a Lyon player come the end, with his contract set to expire and no agreement over an extension being in place. Matic was not the only player to be hit with punishment for taping over the anti-homophobia message, with Le Havre striker Ahmed Hassan doing the same. He has also been handed the same suspension. This acts as the latest form of resistance the LGBTQ+ awareness campaign has received over the years, with numerous players having taken issue with the display on religious grounds. Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed refused to take part in the final match of the season due to his beliefs as a Muslim but escaped any ban. Speaking on why he opted to avoid the initiative, Mohamed wrote on Instagram: 'Living together also means recognising that this diversity can be expressed differently from one person to another,' he wrote on social media. 'I believe in mutual respect – the respect we owe others, but also the respect we owe ourselves and our beliefs. As for me, there are deep-rooted values tied to my heritage and my faith, which make participating in this initiative difficult.' Former Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was last year dealt a four-year ban for doing the same as Matic and Hassan in taping over the anti-homophobia logo. It acts as the second time Matic has hit the headlines in recent months after he got into a spat with Man United stopper Andre Onana for branding him 'one of the worst goalkeepers' in the club's history.
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Former Man Utd and Chelsea star Nemanja Matic slapped with football ban after taping over LGBTQ+ logo
NEMANJA MATIC has received a ban after he covered an LGBTQ+ campaign logo on his kit with tape. The former 4 Nemanja Matic has been banned for two games for covering an LGBTQ+ campaign logo on his sleeve with tape Credit: AFP 4 The Ligue 1 rainbow logo was part of an anti-homophobia campaign Credit: Getty Matic, 36, used tape to cover a rainbow coloured Ligue 1 logo on his Lyon shirt for their final day victory over Angers. The logo was part of Ligue 1's annual campaign against homophobia which sees every club shirt adorned with the rainbow design. Matic wasn't the only player to cover the logo, with Le Havre forward Ahmed Hassan also covering the sleeve design with tape. According to READ MORE IN FOOTBALL The pair will also reportedly have to undergo an awareness campaign about homophobia in football. Matic is believed to be a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Hassan is Muslim. A third player, Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, has escaped punishment after refusing to play with the logo. Mohamed, who is also a practicing Muslim, chose not to play in the final match of the season rather than covering the logo up. Most read in Football 4 Le Havre forward Ahmed Hassan (right) also covered up the logo Credit: Getty 4 Mostafa Mohamed chose not to play with the logo on his sleeve Credit: AFP Mohamed cited his 'values' for not playing in Nantes 3-0 win over Montpellier. He wrote on social media: "Living together also means recognising that this diversity can be expressed differently from one person to another. Nemanja Matic brands Andre Onana 'one of worst keepers in Man Utd HISTORY' in savage response to goalie "I believe in mutual respect - the respect we owe others, but also the respect we owe ourselves and our beliefs. "As for me, there are deep-rooted values tied to my heritage and my faith, which make participating in this initiative difficult." The actions of the Matic, Hassan and Mohamed prompted France's sports minister Marie Basacq to issue a statement after the final day of the Ligue 1 campaign. Barsacq said: "Football has a massive platform, and the [French Football] Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs' and supporters' agenda. 'Homophobic insults and behaviour are no longer acceptable. "Society has evolved, and the language in football must change with it. There's a full range of sanctions available, and they must be applied.' Although rare, some players have spoken out in support of the LGBTQ+ community in the past. Speaking six years ago,
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Former Man Utd and Chelsea star Nemanja Matic slapped with football ban after taping over LGBTQ+ logo
A second player has been banned, while a third avoided punishment ACE BANNED Former Man Utd and Chelsea star Nemanja Matic slapped with football ban after taping over LGBTQ+ logo NEMANJA MATIC has received a ban after he covered an LGBTQ+ campaign logo on his kit with tape. The former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder, who now plays for Ligue 1 club Lyon, covered up the logo on his sleeve for the final game of the season. 4 Nemanja Matic has been banned for two games for covering an LGBTQ+ campaign logo on his sleeve with tape Credit: AFP 4 The Ligue 1 rainbow logo was part of an anti-homophobia campaign Credit: Getty Matic, 36, used tape to cover a rainbow coloured Ligue 1 logo on his Lyon shirt for their final day victory over Angers. The logo was part of Ligue 1's annual campaign against homophobia which sees every club shirt adorned with the rainbow design. Matic wasn't the only player to cover the logo, with Le Havre forward Ahmed Hassan also covering the sleeve design with tape. According to Belgian news outlet HLN, both Matic and Hassan have been handed two-match bans by the French Football Federation as a result of their actions. The pair will also reportedly have to undergo an awareness campaign about homophobia in football. Matic is believed to be a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Hassan is Muslim. A third player, Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed, has escaped punishment after refusing to play with the logo. Mohamed, who is also a practicing Muslim, chose not to play in the final match of the season rather than covering the logo up. 4 Le Havre forward Ahmed Hassan (right) also covered up the logo Credit: Getty 4 Mostafa Mohamed chose not to play with the logo on his sleeve Credit: AFP Mohamed cited his 'values' for not playing in Nantes 3-0 win over Montpellier. He wrote on social media: "Living together also means recognising that this diversity can be expressed differently from one person to another. Nemanja Matic brands Andre Onana 'one of worst keepers in Man Utd HISTORY' in savage response to goalie "I believe in mutual respect - the respect we owe others, but also the respect we owe ourselves and our beliefs. "As for me, there are deep-rooted values tied to my heritage and my faith, which make participating in this initiative difficult." The actions of the Matic, Hassan and Mohamed prompted France's sports minister Marie Basacq to issue a statement after the final day of the Ligue 1 campaign. Barsacq said: "Football has a massive platform, and the [French Football] Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs' and supporters' agenda. 'Homophobic insults and behaviour are no longer acceptable. "Society has evolved, and the language in football must change with it. There's a full range of sanctions available, and they must be applied.' Although rare, some players have spoken out in support of the LGBTQ+ community in the past. Speaking six years ago, Atletico Madrid and French international Antoine Griezmann said: "If a gay player wants to come out, he might not have all the France players with him, but he will have me.'
