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Lyon midfielder Nemanja Matic has accepted a two-match suspension after he taped over an anti-homophobia symbol on his shirt during Lyon’s 2-0 victory against Angers on May 17 — the final day of the Ligue 1 season.
The 36-year-old Serbian international was one of two players sanctioned by French football authorities, with Le Havre’s Ahmed Hassan, 32, receiving an identical ban after also obscuring the campaign logo in his team’s 3-2 win at Strasbourg.
As part of Ligue 1’s annual anti-homophobia initiative — now in its fifth year — players were encouraged to wear rainbow-themed badges or armbands and participate in stadium messaging to support the LGBTQ+ community. However, not all players took part.
“In addition, the committee proposed to the player -- who immediately accepted at the meeting -- that he take part, within six months, in a campaign to raise awareness of the fight against homophobia in football...” Ligue 1 said in a statement on Thursday.
Matic, who has previously played for Manchester United and Chelsea, is currently in the final month of his Lyon contract and has yet to agree to an extension, casting uncertainty over when he might serve the ban or participate in the awareness campaign.
The Ligue 1 initiative has faced resistance in previous years. Some players, including Nantes and Egypt forward Mostafa Mohamed, have opted out, citing religious beliefs. Mohamed withdrew from his team’s crucial relegation match against Montpellier, posting on Instagram before the game:
"I believe in mutual respect - the respect we owe others but also the respect we owe to ourselves and our beliefs. For me, there are deep-rooted values linked to my background and my beliefs that make my participation in this initiative difficult."
Similarly, in 2023, several Toulouse players chose not to play in a match during the campaign, with the club stating they had “expressed their disagreement with the association of their image with the rainbow colours representing the LGBT movement”.
The French league’s handling of such incidents has been consistent. Last season, then-Monaco midfielder Mohamed Camara was suspended for four games after he taped over the campaign logo on his shirt.
Despite mixed player participation, the Ligue 1 campaign continues annually, aiming to promote inclusivity and acceptance in football. In 2018, former France striker Antoine Griezmann publicly backed the cause, saying: “If a gay player wants to come out, he might not have all the France players with him, but he will have me.”
Featured Image Credit: X / @NemanjaMatic, ligue1.com
