On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain, champion of France, traveled to Montpellier as part of the 37th day of the French championship. A meeting in which the Parisian midfielder Idrissa Gueye did not take part. However, the Senegalese was part of the group to play the match but he was removed at the last minute from the score sheet. He finally witnessed the victory of his teammates from the stands.
After the match, his coach Mauricio Pochettino mentioned “personal reasons” to explain Gueye’s absence on the score sheet, while confirming that his player “was not injured”.
In reality, it turns out that the player boycotted the meeting because of the special jersey worn by the Parisians during this meeting according to information from the daily Le Parisien. As World Day Against Homophobia approaches (May 17), the Professional Football League in France (LFP) has set up an initiative in support of the LGBTQ+ community. Thus, during this action, all Ligue 1 clubs wear a special jersey with rainbow flocking.
Sanctions requested
The player did not react but his entourage explained to the newspaper The Team that his absence was due “to fatigue following a charity gala organized last Thursday.” Gueye is indeed the co-founder of the association “For Hope” which raises funds to finance charitable projects in Senegal. For his part, the Parisian rather evokes “religious convictions” and explains that it is “a sensitive subject” for the player.
Be that as it may, the affair caused an uproar in France. The former minister and candidate for the presidential election Valérie Pécresse reacted in particular on social networks: “The players of a football club, and those of PSG in particular, are figures of identification for our young people. They have a duty to set an example”also asking that sanctions be taken against the player.
Also absent last year
French media report this Monday morning that this is not the first time that Idrissa Gueye has boycotted an action against homophobia. Indeed, the LFP’s initiative in support of the LGBTQ+ community was launched in 2019. Last season, the Senegalese was also not present for the match, this time against Reims, during which the players Parisians had worn a jersey with rainbow flocking.
At the time, the player had justified his absence by gastroenteritis.