Senegalese player Idrissa Gueye, a midfielder for Paris Saint-Germain, is facing significant pressure due to his absence from a recent match to avoid supporting "homosexuality." The 32-year-old player sparked controversy after missing a game for his team, which was attributed to his refusal to wear a jersey supporting "LGBTQ+" rights through modified rainbow-colored numbers.
His stance recalls a similar quiet protest in the English Premier League a few years ago. Ivorian retired star Yaya Touré abstained from playing in a Manchester City match while he was captain, just before leaving the club in the 2016-2017 season, against Burnley in the 13th round of the league, for ethical reasons. Touré was required to wear a rainbow armband in a game for his team, leading him to give it up at that time.
Many did not notice Touré's relinquishment of the captain's armband, as it was unusual for him, leaving it instead to his Brazilian teammate Fernandinho. The former Ivorian international played several matches without wearing the armband that bore those colors, wishing to avoid participating in this regular English campaign.
Touré's incident may have passed without much attention, primarily due to a lack of media coverage and spotlight, which spared him from facing pressure from discriminatory organizations.
Joining Yaya Touré, Egyptian star Mohamed Salah also refused to wear special shoes for solidarity with LGBTQ+ individuals during a Liverpool match against Chelsea. The list of those rejecting support for LGBTQ+ rights in Europe, particularly in the English league, included Moroccan star Nordin Amrabat, former Watford player, Mohamed Nagy Gedo while he was with Hull City, Egyptian Sam Morsy, former Wigan player, Ahmed Hegazi, West Bromwich defender, Ramadan Sobhi, former Stoke City player, and finally Algerian star Riyad Mahrez at Manchester City.
In contrast, Gueye found himself in a dilemma over allegations of discrimination from the French Football Federation, which sent him a letter urging him to clarify his stance and to appear in a photo or video wearing the jersey he reportedly refused to wear recently.
