Football and prejudice in France, Camara covers the rainbow patch against homophobia with duct tape

French football wakes up with a problem, there are those within its system who do not seem to agree with fighting homophobia. There had already been some signs in the past, but what happened in the Ligue 1 match between Monaco and Nantes certifies a complicated situation which now also involves the Government.

The first “non-aligned” action with Ligue 1's choice to openly combat homophobia came from the Egyptian footballer of Nantes Mostafa Mohamed who, as he did last season, on the day in which the players wear a shirt with a special rainbow logo decides to stay in the hotel.

But the footballer took care of partially obscuring Mostafa Mohamed's questionable gesture Malian Mohamed Camarawho took the field anyway and at the time no one noticed what he had thought of to get out of the initiative of the Transalpine Football League.

The Monaco footballer, in fact, to express his disagreement with the day dedicated to the fight against homophobia, decided to cover the patch with adhesive tape. Not yet satisfied, he also avoided showing up for the usual pre-match team photo, leaving his teammates quite amazed.

The absence in front of the photographers derives from Camara's desire not to see himself associated in any way with the promotion of the values ​​of solidarity and equality. To finish the job, Camara also has the rainbow logo of the League was blackened with a markerjust to make sure he made his intentions clear to everyone.

Camara's gesture sparked several controversies and also called into question the French Government, which through the voice of Minister Oudea-Castera, took to the field asking for severe sanctions for the Malian. Meanwhile, Monaco tries to demonstrate its non-involvement in the behavior of its member. The speaker is coach Adolf Hutter. “As a club we joined the Ligue 1 campaign, Camara acted on his own initiative, now we will talk to him.”

Nantes are more decisive, having already expressed their desire to financially sanction Mostafa Mohamed (they had already done so for the similar episode last season). The Egyptian again focuses his defense on freedom of opinion and respect for ideas, but the chances of an “acquittal” seem very few.

Jeff Puech, co-founder of the Foundation for Inclusive Sport, underlines how Mostafa and Camara are part of a very small percentage of those who have not decided to take part in the initiative. «99.9 of the players accepted enthusiastically. I would like to underline that this campaign is not an incitement to homosexuality, but a support for stopping homophobia.”