Monaco’s Mohamed Camara has been handed a four-match suspension by the French football league (LFP) after the LGBTQ+ support logo on his shirt was obscured during a Ligue 1 match.
The incident occurred in Monaco’s final league game of the season on May 19, where Camara scored a penalty in their 4-0 victory over Nantes.
The logo on his shirt had been covered with white tape.
“After hearing the player Mohamed Camara, and noting his refusal during the meeting to carry out one or more actions to raise awareness of the fight against homophobia, the Commission decided to impose a four-match suspension,” the LFP said in a statement.
French sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra had called for “the strongest sanctions” against the 24-year-old.
After Oudéa-Castéra’s comments, the Malian Football Federation issued a statement in support of the player.
“It is important to remember that players are citizens like any others, whose fundamental rights must be protected in all circumstances,” the federation said.
On Thursday, Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro said the club supported the French league’s LGBTQ+ support campaign.
“It was a personal initiative from Mo Camara,” Scuro told French media. “We will have this conversation with Mo internally. Internally, we will discuss this situation.”
Camara’s management agency, Unique Sports Group, has yet to respond to requests for comment.
Last year, several Ligue 1 players declined to participate in a gesture supporting LGBTQ+ inclusion, which involved wearing shirts with rainbow-colored numbers on the back.
Rights of those who oppose LGBTQ+ are violated… what a once sided free world of the satanists!