Nemanja Matic, the former Manchester United player currently with French side Lyon, has been suspended for two matches after hiding the LGBTQ+ rainbow emblem on his jersey during the final Ligue 1 match of the season against Angers.
The 36-year-old, reportedly a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church, refused to participate in a Ligue 1 campaign aimed at combating gender-based discrimination and promoting LGBTQ+ rights, which required players to wear rainbow-themed emblems as a symbol of solidarity.
Another player, Ahmed Hassan of Le Havre, was also suspended for two matches for the same offense. However, Mostafa Mohamed of Nantes, who refused to play the entire match, did not receive any sanctions.
Ligue 1’s disciplinary body stated that both Matic and Hassan have also been instructed to take part in a campaign promoting the fight against gender-based hate and discrimination in football.
This initiative has been held five times so far, but each year some players object to it, often citing personal religious beliefs.
Matic, who previously won the Premier League twice with Chelsea, will miss the first two games of next season, after helping Lyon qualify for the Europa League.
