Professional footballer Mohamed Camara, who plays for AS Monaco in France, has been benched for the next four matches for refusing to take part in an anti-homophobia campaign, the French League (LFP) announced on Thursday.
During a Ligue 1 match against Nantes on May 19, the jerseys of Monaco’s players featured a logo to mark the World Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.
However, 24-year-old Camara, a Mali national, chose not to support the LFP campaign and used white tape to cover the logo on his uniform and refused to join his team for a photograph.
The match, which was the final game of the season, ended 4-0 in favor of Monaco, with Camara scoring from the penalty spot. After the match, the footballer was referred to the LFP for disciplinary action.
“After hearing the player Mohamed Camara, and noting his refusal during the meeting to carry out one or more actions to raise awareness of the fight against homophobia, the commission decided to impose a four-match suspension,” the LFP said.
Following the match, Monaco’s general manager, Thiago Scuro, explained that Camara did not participate in the campaign “for religious reasons” and stressed that while the club respects all religions, it was “very sad about this episode and we want to make it clear that we do not support this.”
Scuro also told AFP that the club respects the LFP’s decision to suspend Camara and will not appeal the decision.
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera condemned Camara’s actions, stating after the game that “Such behavior must be met with the toughest sanctions both for the player but also for his club which allowed him to do it.”
In Mali, however, Camara has been applauded for respecting his personal and religious convictions. The Malian Football Federation commended the athlete for exercising his freedom of expression. “Players are citizens like any other whose fundamental rights must be protected in all circumstances,” the organization said.