Toulouse Players Dropped After Refusal to Show LGBTQ+ Support
May 16, 2023Three players from the Toulouse Football Club have been left out of the squad following a joint refusal to actively show support to the LGBTQ+ community. The Ligue 1 players were asked to wear rainbow-colored numbers on their shirts as a sign of solidarity to the community on IDAHOBLIT (the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Lesbophobia and Transphobia), but three members of the team declined. As a result of their refusal, they have been withdrawn from the squad.
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The club released a statement announcing that Zakaria Aboukhlal, Moussa Diarra and Saïd Hamulic were the players left out of the match against Nantes. “Some players from the professional squad have expressed their disagreement with the association of their image with the rainbow colors representing the LGBT movement,” the statement read. “While respecting the individual choices of its players, and after numerous exchanges, Toulouse Football Club has chosen to leave the said players out of the match.”
The statement went on to describe the club’s ongoing support for the LGBTQ+ community, providing a reason for their decision to drop the players from the match.
“The Toulouse Football Club would like to remind you of its long-standing commitment to the fight against homophobia and all forms of discrimination. For more than two decades now, the Club has undertaken and supported numerous projects to promote values of respect, tolerance and sharing.”
Zakaria Aboukhlal released a statement on social media announcing the reasons for his refusal to wear the LGBTQ+ colors on his shirt, describing the influence his religious beliefs have on his opinions.
“I have made the decision not to take part in today’s game,” wrote the football player. “First and foremost, I want to emphasize that I hold the highest regard for every individual, regardless of their personal preferences, gender religion, or background. This is a principle that cannot be emphasized enough.
“Respect is a value that I hold in great esteem. It extends to others, but it also encompasses respect for my own personal beliefs. Hence, I don’t believe I am the most suitable person to participate in this campaign. I sincerely hope that my decision will be respected, just as we all desire to be treated with respect.”
The statement received much criticism from Twitter users who believed Aboukhlal was using his religion as an excuse for homophobia, with many pointing out that he has worn advertisements promoting betting companies on his shirts before. However, the footballer also received a lot of support from anti-LGBTQ+ commenters, with his statement receiving over 30,000 likes.
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