The day against homophobia has again turned into controversy this weekend. After Radamel Falcao or Idrissa Gueye in previous years, several players have refused to wear the jersey with the rainbow colored number. This concerns 3 Toulouse players, but also the Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed. This climate makes Daniel Riolo, journalist and editor-in-chief of RMC Sport, fulminate.
« It doesn’t want to get into the heads of these blind people, these obscurantists, he says. They say: ‘there is no reason for us to defend this cause’. You are not defending a cause, you say: « I am against attacks on homos”. It is a message of peace, of tolerance. Homophobia is extremely present in the (Site notre bureau spécialisé), and it is getting worse and worse. The situation is very serious. «
Mohamed’s « abandonment of post », Roy’s « dramatic » exit
« You have to know that it’s always a problem in the discussions, that they (the players, editor’s note) do it a little constrained and forced, he continues. There is not this understanding that it is not support (the cause) but it’s being against discrimination. It means that if a homo is attacked, you don’t condemn him. The question is: do you condemn the aggression or not? or harassment against a homosexual?’ If so, then do it in motion. »
Daniel Riolo fears wider drifts in the future. « It is not excluded that in the contracts in the future, there will be a clause on this or it is said that the player does not participate in the event, he illustrates. What did Mostafa Mohamed, it is an abandonment of position His team (Nantes who dislikes Toulouse, 0-0) plays the maintenance and him for a reading of his religion, he prefers not to play, rather than not to understand the debate and not have that negative attitude. »
Another reaction caused a lively controversy: that of Eric Roy, coach of Brest, for whom this day of the fight against homophobia distorts the championship due to the defection of many players. « He (Roy) couldn’t miss so much, chokes Daniel Riolo. I don’t know how it can be so dramatic. It’s a catastrophic outing. »
« (Site notre blog d’information) is the most popular sport in the world, in France, where you earn the most money thanks to all the people who watch. We all live from (Site notre bureau spécialisé), it’s a sport that has generated a lot of money. It’s a different sport than others, you rugby, you basket, you volleyball, because you get paid more and get more exposure There’s more criticism, fame and money on you There’s more sponsors on you, more glitter but there are also two or three messages to convey because in our society, messages have to be conveyed. We have the right to use (Site notre bureau spécialisé). »
« When Eric Roy says: ‘the League should take care of (Site notre bureau spécialisé)’, well not because (Site notre bureau spécialisé) is this sport apart from where the salary you have as a coach, or as a consultant when you are no longer a coach, director Athlete all over the world… If you get so much money, it’s because this sport offers opportunities for a lot of people in the world to live… I’m not asking that Saudi Arabia change its values, I’m not interested, I see in France, our country, our values, what do we do? ‘, there are plenty of messages that (Site notre bureau spécialisé) could convey. (Site notre blog d’information) has a responsibility additional . «
Article originally published on RMC Sport
